Emerald celebrates the cup: Girls' excuse to frock up

THEY may have been more than 2000km away from the race that stops the nation, but it sure didn't dull the party in Emerald yesterday.

Twenty-to-one outsider Green Moon ran home as the 2012 Melbourne Cup winner, much to the delight of jockey Brett Prebble.

"You never think you can get any higher until you get to the pinnacle," Prebble said post-race.

"I've watched it plenty of times in disappointment. Today I'm going to go home and enjoy it."

The same couldn't be said for Emerald's Serena Bland, whose inauspicious pick of Red Cadeaux finished well off the pace in eighth place.

But not that it seemed to worry this fashion devotee, who was merrily ringing in this year's cup with friends at the Maraboon Tavern.

"It's a day to dress up and get your girl on," she said.

Fellow Melbourne Cup enthusiast Nadine Kennedy frocked up and joined friends at the Marist College luncheon at the Western Gateway.

"It's a day out with the girls," Nadine said.

And what other day is it acceptable to drink champagne before lunchtime?

- Nadine Kennedy

Over at the Emerald Neighbourhood Centre, Margaret Boland said the cup coincided with a special day for cancer survivors.

"We just like to have a little get together and have a little flutter, and today happened to be our cancer support morning tea," Margaret said.