Bay punters get dolled up for Cup day

Citizens Club Tauranga bar steward Margaret Thomsen making the final decorating touches for today's Melbourne Cup celebrations. Photo / George Novak

Party frocks, hats and bow ties are being dusted off ahead of this afternoon's Melbourne Cup race.

Tauranga resident Graham Taylor takes the afternoon off work every year and gets dressed up to take part in the Melbourne cup festivities at the Tauranga Citizens Club.

"I've got a special shirt and I'll sometimes put a bow tie on, just something a bit special," he said.

"It's the one day a year I take off ... I'm looking forward to it. It's always a good day, a good atmosphere."

The racing enthusiast said his money was on two horses.

"The Kiwi horse Who Shot Thebarman has a good chance. The Japanese horse [Admire Rakti] will go out favourite," he said.

Jim Hicks also planned to be among the 200 to 300 people expected to be at the Citizens Club for today's racing.

"We're just going to come in and have a couple of drinks and watch the Melbourne Cup. I have a couple of bets every now and then when I can afford it."

He was also betting on Who Shot Thebarman but expected Admire Rakti to do well.

Club manager Joanna Young said the excitement started last night with the Calcutta action where punters bid on the horses in today's race. The club had sold 23 corporate tables.

"It is the race that stops two nations," she said. "It's just going to be a good day. It'll just be a good, fun day."

Cup day is the single biggest betting day for NZ's TAB. In 2013, the TAB took $1.6 million bets on Melbourne Cup Day.

As of yesterday morning punters had favoured Kiwi sensation Who Shot Thebarman.