Stakes day Melbourne racing carnival

Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend "stakes"day

In Melbourne,for the Victorian spring racing carnival, 

as a guest of Mumm champagne.

The theme this year was inspired by the famous French dance club the "Moulin Rouge."

The dancers were flown in from Paris to perform their show on a stage built especially for them,

inside a Moulin Rouge style marquee,

complete with the signature windmill

 and all the French styling inside

The marquee looked so chic and fresh even when it was pumping with 120+ people inside.

There was a great dj/singer,Kristy Lee,

a betting area,stages,tasting areas and a fantastic area for "sabrage"on the upper terrace

I'm especially proud because my hubby put it all together,

he's a very clever man!

Sabrage is an old French custom from Napoleon times,

When his soldiers won a battle they would celebrate by shearing off the whole head of a champagne bottle with a single clean stroke of their blade,

One of the nice momentos of my day was receiving my sabrage champagne bottle top in a small red velvet pouch with an official sabrage certificate,

(it looks especially lovely with a bunch of fragrant roses

 I couldn't resist pinching on the way in to the birdcage area)

A leopard doesn't change his spots!!!!

Our friends Lou and Jeff were guests as well,

which made it even more fun to have a girlfriend to giggle and dance with as we sipped on French champagne all day,

We lost all our money on horses with ridiculous names, and nibbled on very yummy French cuisine,

too spoilt!!

Too much fun!!

Love and rainbows

Gypsy girl x