THE CLUB STAND TRIALS

The wait is almost over, your new Club Stand will be open for the 2018 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

There is no other place like it in the world, let alone the world of thoroughbred racing. Officially, our first day in full operation will be AAMI Victoria Derby Day, Saturday 3rd November 2018. To get us to AAMI Victoria Derby Day we need to put The Club Stand through its paces, making sure that everything we have built is at its operational best.

This September we will be turning on the lights, firing up the kitchens, finessing the menus, setting the tables and gathering all the staff for final training. And when everything is set and ready, opening the doors to customers for us to see what this amazing Club Stand can do!

On Sofitel Girls’ Day Out, Saturday 15th September and Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day, Saturday 6th October, we will opening The Club Stand. The venues in operation each day will be set up, in full - but under trial conditions.

Members will be looked after, waited on and served within each venue, just like it was any other raceday. We will use both your feedback and that of our teams on the ground to refine The Club Stand offering.

Our aim is to review the moment by moment customer experience and iron out any operational issues in readiness for a wonderful AAMI Victoria Derby Day 2018.

Ballot forms, along with everything you may want to know about The Club Stand trials can be found below.

We look forward to welcoming you as one of the first Members in the new Club Stand.

The ballot for the Club Stand Trials has now closed. If you have entered the ballot you will be notified the week commencing 13th August of the day/s, venue/s and number of seats allocated to you. Pending availability, ballot forms received after 3pm Friday 27 July will be processed in order receipt.

The Club Stand labelled diagram

BALLOTED VENUES

  • Members Dining Room

    Members Dining Room

    Sofitel Girl's Day Out ticket: $135 - SOLD OUT

    Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day ticket: $165 - SOLD OUT

    Included in trial ticket: Drink on arrival, followed by three-course meal.

    The perfect blend of heritage within a modern setting, the Members Dining Room keeps our beloved traditions alive. Take in the day’s races with great views from within, on screen or via the outdoor seating decks. With a paddock to plate menu offering fresh seasonal fare and a mouth-watering dessert buffet, this is the ideal backdrop for friends and family get-togethers at the races.

    Tastes to look forward to:

    • Pomegranate cured salmon, pickled baby radish, cucumber, olive oil jelly, fried quinoa, ice plant and crème fraîche
    • Seared duck breast, mandarin, wakame, pickled ginger, spring onion and crispy wild rice main
    • Fillet of Gippsland beef, Paris mash, spinach puree, mushroom ketchup and thyme jus

     

     

  • The Byerley

    The Byerley

    Sofitel Girl's Day Out ticket: $250 - SOLD OUT

    Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day ticket: $290 - SOLD OUT

    Included in trial ticket: Drink on arrival, followed by a three-course meal.

    Prepare yourself for a racing experience like no other in The Byerley. With cuisine on par with Melbourne’s very finest restaurants, and a private outdoor terrace with your own reserved seat offering brilliant track and Mounting Yard views, this is the definition of pure raceday indulgence.

    Tastes to look forward to:

    Be one of the first Members in The Club Stand to experience Chef Ryan Flaherty’s modern innovative style. Showcasing the best regional produce Ryan will present classic food, cooked to perfection, with a few surprises ... just as one would expect from this class of dining.




     


  • Straight Six

    Straight Six

    Sofitel Girl's Day Out ticket: $95 SOLD OUT

    Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day ticket: SOLD OUT

    Included in trial ticket: Drink on arrival, appetiser, main course, side dish.

    Sittings: There will be two sittings on each day. Sitting One: 11am to 2pm. Sitting Two: 2:30pm to close

    Enjoy a lively atmosphere with friends and family, without missing any trackside action with great views of the track, plenty of screens around you and easy access to the outdoor seating decks. You’ll enjoy wood-fired pizzas and grilled meats alongside premium wine and beer in this cool and casual restaurant and bar. Get ready to have some fun at Straight Six.

    Tastes to look forward to:

    • Burrata, heirloom tomato, basil, Mount Zero olive oil, balsamic flakes, torn sourdough
    • Aged beef, glazed shallot, watercress, confit garlic
    • Pizza with smoked salmon, avocado cream, watercress, baby capers, salmon roe, pickled red onion


  • Mumm Champagne Bar

    Mumm Champagne Bar

    Sofitel Girl's Day Out ticket: Free entry - SOLD OUT

    Included in trial ticket: Entry time allocated via ballot. Food and beverages at bar prices.

    As you enter this breathtaking space you’ll know this is where the party is. Celebrate with fine French Champagne. Savour the appealing bites of sushi, oysters and caviar. With great views of the track and Flemington race coverage on the screens, get ready for something spectacular, because the Mumm Champagne Bar is where it’s all going to happen.

    Tastes to look forward to:

    • Fresh Australian seafood, Pacific and Sydney Rock Oysters, Queensland prawns on ice with an assortment of condiments, lemon and lime wedges.
    • Caviar with an assortment of condiments, grated egg, diced shallots, chives, crème fraîche, melba toast
    • Smoked salmon, buckwheat blinis, dill crème fraîche, salmon roe
    • Mumm Cordon Rouge cream macaron

     

     

     

     


  • Members Bar

    Members Bar

    Sofitel Girl's Day Out ticket: Free entry - SOLD OUT

    Included in trial ticket: Entry time allocated  via ballot. Food and beverages at bar prices.

    A Members only bar that’s tailor made for the racing purist, this is the very heart of everything we cherish about our Club and the passions we share. Brilliant racing coverage sits side by side with historic touches, great food and direct connection to the Members Lawn.

    Tastes to look forward to:

    • Classic and contemporary bistro meals
    • Sandwiches and rolls
    • Assortment of cakes and pastries

     

     

     

     

     

     

     


  • Furlong Bar

    Furlong Bar

    Sofitel Girl's Day Out ticket: Free entry - SOLD OUT

    Included in trial ticket: Entry time allocated via ballot. Food and beverages at bar prices.

    The Furlong Bar is serious about its unique wine menu, as well as its tapas-style food offering and spectacular interior. Set yourself up on a high-top bar stool and look over the extensive list of fine Australian and international wine selections, with a range of wineries’ finest on offer like you’ve never seen at Flemington before. With some of the best Mounting Yard and track views on course and full Flemington coverage, you’ll never miss a moment.

    Tastes to look forward to:

    • A selection of cured meats including prosciutto, bresaola, pork terrine, fennel seed salami, chicken liver pâte with spiced port jelly, brioche croutons, pickles, marinated olives and mushrooms
    • Squid ink croquettes, parsley, romesco sauce and chorizo
    • Barramundi slider with watercress, cornichon mayonnaise
    • Peri Peri Portuguese chicken drumettes with smoked chipotle mayonnaise

     

THE CLUB STAND SPACES TO VISIT

There are still plenty of wonderful venues for you to visit in The Club Stand outside of the balloted venues – all you need is your Members Card and/or Guest Pass to gain entry.

On both trial days, the ground floor food and drink outlets of The Club Stand will be open and ready to serve all Members.

Fresh and contemporary, The Bakery makes for an easy-going and comfortable spot to kick-off or wrap up your day with a Melbourne calibre coffee and all kinds of sweet and savoury treats on offer: pastries, cakes, panini, quiche, salads and more. Stay close to the racing while enjoying lunch at The Arbour with four different food counters (Sushi, Seafood, Asian and Grill) serving up hot, cold and always fresh food and drinks – means there’s sure to be something for everyone.

Situated next to the Mounting Yard, Paddock Bar is the place for racing purists to order a drink while taking in the equine action. Adjacent to the Members Lawn you’ll find the Lawn Bar, the perfect spot to grab a drink before heading back to the racing action. In the spirit of the old Champions Bar is the Courtyard Bar, situated right next to the Betting Ring, it’s the place to take a minute to enjoy a drink, snack or a light meal.

Step inside the stand where all Members are welcome to move around and explore the general communal spaces, or stop by the Bluegrass Bar on Level 3 to try a signature cocktail crafted by one of our resident mixologists.

On both trial days, entry to all walk–in outlets will be capped once capacity is reached. Note The Roof Garden will not be open during these trials.

On Seppelt Turnbull Stakes Day, all bar venues as well as the ground floor food and drink outlets will be open to members, no ballot ticket is required on this day.

BOOKING INFORMATION

Applications to participate in The Club Stand trials will be allocated via a ballot. The two ballot options are:

  • Paid full service dining: Members can pre-purchase a ticket which will include entry to the venue and a selection of food and beverages. Ticket pricing is reflective of trial conditions and non-Carnival racedays.
  • Selected bar venues: Ballot ticket will grant Members access to select bar venues. There is no upfront cost, with all food and beverage purchases made over the bar on raceday.

If you are interested in participating in The Club Stand trials, please download and complete a ballot form. To complete the ballot form, simply nominate your preference for each of the selected venues on offer, and how many guests you would like to bring. Please send all completed ballot forms to membersdining@vrc.net.au or Victoria Racing Club 448 Epsom Road Flemington 3031.

Once you have submitted your ballot form, you will be informed via email on the week commencing 13th August of the day/s, venue/s and number of seats allocated to you. Payment for your allocation will be charged when an application is successfully processed.

All balloted tickets will be provided with more information prior to the day, as arrival times will be staggered to provide the service staff and chefs with the ability to review all our standard service procedures.

To ensure fairness, Member guest tickets will be limited for The Club Stand trials as follows:

  • Bars: Limit of 3 guests per Member.
  • Restaurants: Members can book a maximum of one table per day.
  • The Members Dining Room will have tables configurations of 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 persons per table.
  • The Byerley will have table configurations of 2, 4 and 6 persons per table.
  • The Straight Six has two sittings. Sitting One: 11am - 2pm. Sitting Two: 2:30pm - close. Seats a maximum 8 people per table. Tables in this venue are designed to be shared so you may be seated with other Members and guests.

All bars and dining venues will be offering a trial menu. These menus are subject to change for the official opening of The Club Stand during the 2018 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

If your application is unsuccessful, or you decide not to submit an application, you are still welcome to trial a number of The Club Stand venues that are not balloted on those days.

Terms and conditions
By submitting your ballot application for The Club Stand trials, you agree to be subject to and will abide by, and shall notify and require your guests and invitees to abide by the “The Club Stand Member Trials – Terms & Conditions” and the Member Conditions, including any amendments notified to you by VRC.