And they’re off: Preparing for the Melbourne Cup

Written by Oct 24, 2024Australian Hotelier

With excitement building for one of the year’s most anticipated sporting events, operators like O’Hara Hotels are looking to optimise their spring racing offering.

From the much-anticipated Melbourne Cup to local race days, the Spring Carnival is a time for guests to meet with friends, back their chosen horses, and celebrate the races at their favourite pub. By enhancing the in-venue atmosphere, building excitement for the whole racing season, and optimising the offering on big race days, venues can create a profitable and enjoyable racing season this spring.

A key part of drawing in guests to a venue is creating a welcoming and enthusiastic atmosphere during, and in the lead up to, the spring racing season.

Tabcorp COO, Paul Carew, said that spring is a particular exciting time for sports fans.

“Spring is the best time in racing and sport, with footy finals and US Sport on as well. There’s never been more on offer as far as live vision goes, and TAB is helping boost and enhance that in our pubs and clubs every day,” he said.

This excitement can be heightened by promoting Spring Carnival events early on in the season, according to Kathleen O’Hara, marketing manager at O’Hara Group.

“We have state-of-the-art TVs, which people like viewing the races on, and we have betting with TAB all set up. Even though we have all that, I think people mostly enjoy the experience and the atmosphere. That means advertising early on. On our TVs, we use Sportsfy TV, which advertises any upcoming races, and we share that on our social media as well.”

Hats, hooves and heroes

Melbourne Cup often brings a different clientele to the rest of the spring racing season.

“On Melbourne Cup day, we put on lunches at different venues, and we also do prizes for Best Dressed, like Fashions on the Field. We have the TAB facilities, and the TV is playing all day to create a different kind of atmosphere. We get a lot of ladies visiting, because the Melbourne Cup is just a fun day, whereas on a Sunday afternoon, probably the majority of punters are men,” O’Hara said.

To cater to this different market, a diverse food and beverage offering is often called for, as at the Rosstown Hotel in south-east Melbourne, operated by Nikakis Hospitality.

“It’s a celebratory time of year when people come together, and food and drink is definitely a huge part of that. We have an expansive menu, and we do normally theme it up, with more entrees, mains and desserts to make sure there’s something for everybody. The champagne is definitely flowing, and there’s plenty of cold beers as well,” said operations manager Paige Griffin.

Additionally, Melbourne Cup can draw in patrons new to betting, who may need some assistance to operate the terminals.

“We see first time punters that want to come in and put their bet on a horse, whether it’s the favourite colours, favourite number, or a birthday. We do open the TAB early on that day, and we make sure we have lots of staff rostered on to keep the flow moving through the terminals. We like to put on a couple of people to help people through it and explain how to put their bets on their winners. It might be the one day of the year that people have a flutter on a horse,” Griffin said.

However, it is still important to cater for the regular patrons wanting to view the race.

“Our sports bars are still busy as well, but those are people that want to come in bet and watch the races and not dress up or sit down for the whole lunch. They might be in and out, or they might just watch the races in the sports bar. It’s about targeting different markets, but still getting excited for spring racing,” O’Hara said.

With events like the Melbourne Cup drawing in seasoned punters and first-time race viewers alike, the spring racing season presents a vibrant opportunity for pub operators. Focusing on atmosphere, entertainment and service can set a venue up for an unforgettable guest experience this Spring Carnival.

This is an extract from a feature first published in the October issue of Australian Hotelier.

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