ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Nearly a thousand infantrymen from the Imperial Tarocash Army are expected to invade the Betoota Turf Club general admission area today to watch the Melbourne Cup on the big screen – which has prompted the club’s hospitality staff to phone their loved ones ahead of battle today.
Because the harsh reality of the situation is that while horses will inevitably die a shocking, inhumane death today in Victoria, some bar staff might also pay the ultimate price.
Dennis O’Leary has been the bar manager at Betoota Turf Club for only nine weeks.
Today is his first Melbourne Cup and, he says, he’s feeling the pressure.
“I’ve phoned the wife to say I love her and that if I die today, don’t wait around mourning me. She can move on because life is too short. Just not with like a good mate or my brother or something. That’d raise me from the dead, that would,” he said.
The Advocate has set up shop early today at the Betoota Race Track Media Centre and can feel the energy in the air.
“You know what they say, you haven’t worked in hospitality until you’ve had to work a Melbourne Cup,”
“So I’ve instructed all my staff to find a minute this morning to phone their significant others because we don’t know what’s going to happen today. The company anticipates we might lose a few glassies. We’re not even using glass today so I’m not sure how they worked that one out.”
Our reporter hugged Dennis and wished him the best of luck.
More to come.
