If there ever were a golden trophy awarded to the most outstanding marquee year-on-year at the Melbourne Cup Carnival, it would undeniably go to Lexus Australia. This year marked 21 years that the auto company has partnered with the Victorian Racing Club on the carnival—I believe they call this a ‘stayer’ in horse racing terms—and Lexus more than revved up the experience across all fronts: entertainment, design and gastronomy

Former Victoria’s Secret supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio, Academy Award-winning movie star Matt Damon and Spanish actress Elsa Pataky were spotted inside the Lexus marquee on Derby Day, as 73,000+ racegoers descended onto Flemington Racecourse to see Riff Rocket narrowly nose out Apulia to claim the $2 million prizepool.

The exclusive three-level pavilion—a design inspired by the confluence of Japanese and Australian native landscapes—sort long-standing friend of the brand Luke Mangan to design the Asian-inspired Omakase-style dining experience on level one, and the cocktail menu on levels two and three.

While guests, many dressed in Rebecca Vallance, mingled in the sunshine on the marquee’s sprawling deck—one with an unparalleled view of the track—they later moved inside to dance to Melbourne’s most in-demand DJ Andy Murphy and a surprise saxophone player.

But come the 163^rd Lexus Melbourne Cup on November 7, it was the fashion inside the Lexus marquee that stopped the internet, second to the day’s winner Without A Fight, of course. Delta Goodrem, in a canary yellow Mariam Seddiq gown, Azara J millinery and Versace bag celebrated the day with new fiancé Matthew Copley. Twin nieces of the late Princess Diana, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer, embraced Flemington’s bold colour code in red, as did television host Emma Freedman, in Self Portrait, the latter no doubt spending the evening celebrating given her family trained the Cup winner. Racing royalty Kate Waterhouse watched two of her mother’s horses race the Cup in a lemon Mariam Seddiq blazer dress, while supermodel Adut Akech wore a stunning blush pink gown.

Yes, if 21^st birthdays all looked like this, we’d all be winners.