And you thought Ascot was a bit racy! Aussies' big day out at the Melbourne Cup

By DEBORAH ARTHURS

Big day out: Girls looking a little dishevelled after a few hours at the course The Duchess of Cornwall declared the Melbourne Cup bigger than Ascot today after its huge crowds impressed the royal as she presented the winner’s trophy. More than 105,000 people flocked to Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne for the two-mile race, which has become a social, cultural and sporting icon for Australia - and a large number of them were ladies dressed to impress.

That's rubbish! One racegoer takes a tumble - and lands in a heap of discarded bottles and beer cans But in time-honoured fashion, as the champagne flowed and races were won - or lost - the racegoers became ever-more dishevelled, with some kicking off their shoes to feel the grass of the race track under their bare feet. British racing meets have long had a reputation for getting a bit messy as the day develops, but the hedonistic Melbourne crowds showed the UK that they can party just as hard as both winners and losers sank gallons of booze and caused havoc around the racecourse.

Horseplay: A couple take the weight off among the debris Others brandished full glasses or cans of beer and swayed unsteadily on their feet, posing for photographers. The scenes echoed those of race tracks across Britain, from Aintree to Ascot, where flocks of brightly dressed ladies put on a show each year - which sometimes happen to be less than ladylike.

Flat out: A race goer "planks" after the last race at Flemington racecourse And it just goes to show - however glamorous and refined racecourse guests are on arrival, there's a high chance that before the totes have closed for the day a good number will end up letting it all hang out. Nonetheless, the day's racing was deemed a resounding success, with Amanda Elliott, vice chairman of the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) which runs the Melbourne Cup, saying Camilla for one declared she was 'absolutely delighted' to be at the race course and 'could not believe' the crowds.

Wipe out: It's tiring work having all this fun

Just say neigh: One horse gets distracted by the bar

Bright and breezy: These colourful spectators managed to keep neat and tidy - all the better to show off their vivid creations source: dailymail

And you thought Ascot was a bit racy! Aussies' big day out at the Melbourne Cup 2012-11-06T20:37:00-08:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Bona Pasogit