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Melbourne Cup 2023: Matildas hero's telling admission as sporting stars turn out

Cortnee Vine and David Zaharakis were among the sporting stars in attendance on Melbourne Cup day.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·3-min read
Cortnee Vine and David Zaharakis at the Melbourne Cup.
Matildas player Cortnee Vine and AFL star David Zaharakis at the Melbourne Cup. Image: Getty

From Matildas players to AFL stars and their WAGs, there were plenty of famous sporting faces who turned out for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. Joel Selwood, Nathan Broad and David Zaharakis led the AFL contingent at Flemington, while Cortnee Vine was also in attendance after helping the Matildas reach the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup earlier this year.

Vine scored the winning penalty when the Matildas beat France in the quarter-finals in a dramatic shootout. The fact that she was being interviewed on Melbourne Cup day provided the perfect example of how the World Cup has changed her life. "I'm here invited to the birdcage at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day," she said with a grin.

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Check out some of the other famous sporting stars who turned out for Cup day:

Eddie McGuire and Glen Boss at the Melbourne Cup.
AFL icon Eddie McGuire and champion jockey Glen Boss. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)
Zac Purton and Frankie Dettori.
Zac Purton (R) poses with fellow jockey Frankie Dettori (centre) and wife Nicole (L). (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)
Zac Purton and wife Nicole at the Melbourne Cup.
Zac Purton and wife Nicole. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)
Nathan Broad and wife Tayla.
AFL player Nathan Broad and wife Tayla. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Amy Pejkovic and David Zaharakis.
Amy Pejkovic and AFL player David Zaharakis. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Cortnee Vine.
Matildas hero Cortnee Vine. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Brihony Dawson.
TV presenter and sports commentator Brihony Dawson. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Emma Freedman.
Sports commentator an media personality Emma Freedman. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Rebecca Maddern.
TV and sport host Rebecca Maddern. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Joel Selwood and wife Brit.
Former Geelong captain Joel Selwood and wife Brit. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Luke Ricketson.
Sydney Roosters great Luke Ricketson with wife Kate Waterhouse and their kids. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)

Damien Oliver gets fairytale farewell ride in Melbourne Cup

Meanwhile, Damien Oliver will get his fairytale Melbourne Cup farewell after vets declared Alenquer fit to take part in the great race on Tuesday. Oliver is retiring from horse racing at the end of the spring carnival, but his Cup ride was thrown into doubt on Monday.

It was revealed that Alenquer had a stone bruise on his hoof, but Racing Victoria vets conducted an inspection on Tuesday morning and deemed the gelding suitable to race. "The gelding had improved significantly overnight and as a result was passed suitable to race," a statement said. "Alenquer will also be inspected when he arrives on course as a precaution."

The 51-year-old Oliver has an Australian record 151 victories in Group 1 races. Tuesday's race will be his 32nd ride in the Melbourne Cup, which he has won three times.

Victory would mean Oliver - who won on Doriemus in 1995, Media Puzzle in 2002 and Fiorente in 2013 - would equal legendary jockeys Harry White and Bobbie Lewis as four-time Melbourne Cup winners. "Four would be unreal," Oliver said. "To go out in my last year winning a Cup would be a dream come true."

The news wasn't as good for connections of Cleveland, who was scratched on Monday evening due to a high temperature. Michael Dee was set to ride Cleveland on Tuesday after it won the Mooney Valley Cup last month.

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