If you don’t ask, you won’t get.
asserted
you → ask → ?
In what was an epic coup for Crown Resorts and its private equity owner, Blackstone, the casino company landed new US ambassador to Australia David Brat at Flemington on Tuesday.
asserted
company → land → Tuesday
When Crown asked if Brat, who started in his role as Donald Trump’s man Down Under in August, would like to be at the track and attend its Birdcage marquee, he said yes and diplomacy swung into action.
asserted
diplomacy → ask → action
It was the first visit to Melbourne for Brat, who was joined by his wife, Laura.
asserted
who → join → wife
The couple were accompanied to the track by US consul-general Colin Crosby and his wife, Vivian.
asserted
couple → accompany → Crosby
After lunching in the VRC Committee Room, Brat told CBD he was loving the Cup spectacle.
asserted
he → lunch → spectacle
He said Victorian Governor Margaret Gardner had encouraged him to punt on what she told him was the King’s horse, Point Of Law, which went on to win the $10.2 million race.
asserted
which → say → race
The horse was previously owned by King Charles.
asserted
horse → own → Charles
Brat said he would vote in the US midterm elections, which begin on Tuesday night (AEDT), via email and that being sent to Australia by Trump was “the best posting there is”.
asserted
which → say → Trump
Elsewhere in Crown’s enclosure, chairman John Borghetti played host to pollies and high rollers alike.
asserted
Borghetti → play → pollies
Taro Squires, head of real estate in Australia for international private equity giant Blackstone, was at his first Melbourne Cup, after taking on his new post in July.
asserted
Squires → take → July
Squires was previously based in Tokyo and is now living in Sydney, from where he will oversee the casino asset.
asserted
he → base → asset
Before the feature race, veteran investment banker and former chair of the Australian Sports Commission John Wylie was striding the Birdcage bitumen with his wife, Myriam.
asserted
Wylie → stride → wife
Together, they own 10 per cent of Point Of Law.
asserted
they → own → Law
John ducked in and out of Crown before heading for the mounting yard.
asserted
John → duck → yard
By the end of the day he was back at the company’s marquee celebrating
the horse’s win in a back room with his fellow owners.
asserted
he → celebrate → owners
Bishop’s blessing for Jess Wilson
Julie Bishop, Australia’s minister for style, and her partner, Stephen Grey, were the epitome of Birdcage diplomacy on Cup Day, floating from one marquee to another.
Dressed in “timeless Dior – this is my French look”, Bishop paused for a moment from her marquee-hopping to throw her support behind Jess Wilson in this month’s Victorian election.
asserted
Bishop → float → election
“I have always been impressed by Jess.
asserted
I → impress → Jess
She is a very confident, smart, inspiring woman, and I hope she is given the opportunity to lead this state,” Bishop said.
asserted
Bishop → hope → state
I think she is a star.”
asserted
she → think → ?
Last month CBD reported that Bishop, who also has a role with the United Nations, had hitched her wagon to a Trump-linked advisory firm in the US.
asserted
who → report → US
“I have maintained my interest in foreign affairs, Australia’s place in the world and global strategic matters,” she said.
asserted
she → maintain → world
Bishop’s advisory firm, Julie Bishop & Partners, has inked a “strategic alliance” with American Global Strategies, a company chaired by Robert O’Brien, a former US national security adviser and current member of Donald Trump’s President’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
asserted
firm → ink → Board
Foxx tears up the dance floor
asserted
Foxx → tear → floor
There have been rumours for days that Oscar winner Jamie Foxx would make it out to Flemington at some point during Cup Week, and when he arrived at the Don Julio marquee just before 1pm on Cup Day, a real Hollywood buzz went through the Birdcage.
asserted
buzz → make → Birdcage
The Collateral star attracted a huge media scrum when he turned up at the tequila bolthole, and he wasn’t boring – chatting to everyone, doing oodles of selfies and busting some moves on the dance floor.
asserted
he → attract → floor
Foxx is in Melbourne for a couple of months filming Deadlocked, an action movie that has been shooting at various locations around the city.
asserted
that → film → city
He is staying at disgraced media mogul Antony Catalano’s St Kilda penthouse.
asserted
He → stay → penthouse
While many visiting international stars like to fly under the radar while in town, Foxx has been embracing our golf courses and our hospitality scene.
asserted
Foxx → visit → courses
He has been a regular at Maison Batard, the high-end restaurant in the Melbourne CBD operated by Chris Lucas, and as evidenced by his Birdcage enthusiasm, loves a selfie with fans.
asserted
He → operate → fans
Pour one out for Mumm
Over in the Mumm marquee, the definition of celebrity was quite loosely applied.
asserted
definition → pour → celebrity
In what has seemed like a real-life episode of Days of Our Lives, the bubbles brand has this week played host to both halves of the soap opera-like disintegration of footballer Lachie Neale and newly minted influencer ex-wife Jules Neale’s marriage.
asserted
brand → seem → Neale
Jules was Mumm’s big-name guest on Cup Day and did the daily “tap, tap” champagne shower on the steps of the marquee for the cameras.
asserted
Jules → do → cameras
Questions about her marriage implosion were off-limits, minders stipulating she could only be asked about fashion and racing.
uncertain
she → stipulate → fashion
Asked how she was feeling about being at the track, she said: “I will be honest …
asserted
I → ask → track
I don’t know anything about the racing,” adding she was there for the fashion.
asserted
she → know → fashion
On Tuesday, another new-age celebrity guest was influencer Adelle Petropoulos, who came to public notice last year after she split with her fiance.
asserted
she → come → fiance
Petropolous bounced back in March by wearing what was to be her wedding gown to the Australian Grand Prix’s Glamour on the Grid party and has been riding a social media wave ever since.
asserted
what → bounce → wave
Also turning heads in the marquee was Chelsea Becirevic, who is known as “Australia’s hottest WAG”.
asserted
who → turn → WAG
Becirevic is dating retired AFL player Ivan Soldo.
asserted
Becirevic → date → Soldo
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
