This year's Melbourne Cup day at Wingatui is set to be a big one if mini marquee sales are the barometer.
The Otago Racing Club's meeting on November 3 involves months of planning for the club's staff, but early signs were looking good, events and marketing manager Charlotte Neilson said.
"The mini marquees are sold out in the centre of the course,'' And they are also selling out down at the Puddle Alley end.
Only three mini marquees remained from the 30 on offer when sales began, Ms Neilson told the Taieri Times.
A new cocktail-style function on the first floor in the ''Turf Club'' was sold out.
The function in the Winning Post Lounge has also sold out and the corporate marquees were ''tracking really nicely''.
Some changes for this year will include moving the Fashions on the Field marquee to behind the members'' grandstand, between the office and back parade ring.
The club was also looking at setting up a ''pamper room'' to allow women to get their nails, hair and make-up tidied up, a red carpet to welcome guests and a photobooth.
The club has kept in contact with police to keep them aware of plans for the day.
''We met with the police last week and they were really happy,'' she said.
''The major injuries last year seemed to be women falling over in heels and grazing their knees.''
After a rather chilly day last year, when the temperature only briefly nudged double figures, Ms Neilson and the rest of the Otago Racing Club staff only have one big demand from the weather gods.
''You can't have rain four years in a row, surely,'' she said.
