Is the Melbourne Cup Dying? Few Celebrities Attend After Star-Studded Derby Day

Spring Racing Carnival kicked off with a bang in Melbourne on Saturday, with A-listers flocking to Flemington Racecourse for Derby Day.

But the same could not be said for Melbourne Cup, the race that stops the nation, as the celebrity arrivals on Tuesday were lacklustre at best. 

Insiders at the annual event have said the main race this year was ‘boring’ compared to the kick-off, which had even Tammy Hembrow flying down from Queensland. 

Derby Day saw a slew of socialites and WAGs turn up in their best monochrome looks, including Pip Edwards, Lindy Klim, Bec Judd and her sister Kate Twigley.

Tammy, 31, made a shocking appearance, alongside Nadia Bartel, Stella Klim, Annalise Dalins, Brooke Warne, and Hannah Dal Sasso.

Even rarely seen Australian actress Tessa James turned out for the occasion, along with many other well-known members of the Down Under elite.

Melbourne Cup kicked off with a whimper in the celebrity marquees on Tuesday when celebrity arrivals failed to impress insiders. Pictured: jockey Michelle Payne

Insiders at the annual event have said the main race this year was ‘boring’ compared to the kick-off, which had even Tammy Hembrow, 31, flying down from Queensland 

By contrast, Melbourne Cup appeared to be missing many of Australia’s rich and famous, with only a handful of the usual suspects in attendance. 

Samantha Armytage, Stella Klim, and Julie Bishop were some of the most notable faces there, in addition to a few other TV and morning show stars.

Bec Judd was also in attendance, as per usual, but not even her bestie, Nadia Bartel, showed up to the Melbourne Cup, despite attending Derby Day on Saturday. 

It was a far cry from last year, which saw even the likes of American socialite Nicky Hilton and Irish singer Ronan Keating make appearances.

In 2023, the event featured Delta Goodrem, as well as the nieces of Princess Diana – Lady Eliza and Amelia Spencer. 

Despite the apparent lack of famous attendees, tens of thousands of everyday racegoers had the time of their lives as they ignored the rain to pack Flemington Racecourse.

Many could be seen partying well into Tuesday evening, after Jamie Melham made history during the main event.

The 29–year–old was the first ever female jockey to complete the Caulfield-Melbourne Cups double, riding Half Yours to victory.  

Her win came a decade after Michelle Payne became the first female jockey to claim victory in Australia’s biggest race.

Bec Judd (left) was among the usual suspects to attend this year, but not even her bestie, Nadia Bartel (right), showed up to the Melbourne Cup, despite attending Derby Day on Saturday

Previous Melbourne Cups have seen global superstars and even royalty attend. Pictured: Delta Goodrem performing at the Melbourne Cup in 2023

The revelry and glamour kicked off early, as hundreds of punters arrived more than six hours before the race to nab the best spots trackside.

Attendance at Flemington for the Cup has steadily increased in recent years, with about 90,000 people through the gates this year, although that’s still below 2003’s record attendance of 122,000 people.

Bright red and bold block colours were popular choices among celebrities and punters alike, with umbrellas one of the most popular – and practical fashion accessories.

Helicopters also buzzed overhead ferrying VIP guests to the exclusive Birdcage, which typically houses high-profile guests, sports stars, socialites and titans of industry.