More than 80,000 punters turned out for this year's Melbourne Cup to see Vow And Declare claim the top prize.
Excited fans flooded into Flemington Racecourse when the gates opened at 9am, despite the showpiece event not taking place until six hours later.
Women dressed to impress in high heels and hats while gentlemen rocked up in suits for the biggest day in the Australian racing calendar.
However, there was still room for some fancy dress as racegoers spread some sparkle on the occasion Down Under.
There was controversy on the course as Frankie Dettori was banned for eight days following his ride aboard Master Of Reality in the Lexus Melbourne Cup.
Partnering the Joseph O'Brien-trained runner, Dettori passed the post in second place behind Vow And Declare after a tight four-way finish to the two-mile prize, with Prince Of Arran third and Il Paradiso fourth.
However, Dettori's mount drifted across the track in the final half-furlong, impeding the run of Il Paradiso, who was trying to challenge between Master Of Reality and Vow And Declare.
Wayne Lordan had to stop riding aboard Il Paradiso, who is trained by O'Brien's father Aidan, and the stewards quickly called an inquiry before eventually opting to demote Master Of Reality to fourth and suspend Dettori until November 14.
The Charlie Fellowes-trained Prince Of Arran was promoted to second - one place better than last year - with Il Paradiso boosted to third.
Joseph O'Brien won the 2017 Melbourne Cup with Rekindling and he was disappointed Master Of Reality could not give Dettori his first win in the race, with the Italian having twice finished second in 1999 and 2015.
He told www.theage.com.au: "I'm more gutted for Frankie than I am for myself. I'll be back.
"I don't know if Frankie is ever going to win this race."
Dettori has enjoyed a stellar year with 19 Group One winners to his name, including three wins for supermare Enable and another Stayers' Million prize with Stradivarius.
However, he has endured a luckless run at Flemington, with his 17th ride on Master Of Reality resulting in a suspension that began immediately on Tuesday and ends on November 13, after pleading guilty to a charge of careless riding.
It is not the first time Dettori has fallen foul of the stewards in the Melbourne Cup, with the rider suspended for a month and fined 20,000 for causing interference on runner-up Max Dynamite four years ago. He was also suspended for a month for careless riding on Mamool in 2004.
Returning to the weighing room, Dettori said: "I want to cry."
Owner Nick Williams added: "I'm shattered for him, nothing would have been better for Master Of Reality to have won the race for him."
Dettori is scheduled to start a four-week riding stint in Japan from next weekend.
Prince Of Arran delighted Fellowes with his run, adding to his Geelong Cup win, and next year's Melbourne Cup is already on the radar.
He told www.racing.com: "He's an unbelievable horse, he absolutely loves it out here.
"In maybe another five yards we weren't far away from being in front.
"I think that was a better run this year than last year - we came so close.
"It was different this year because last year I thought we were going to win at one stage, but there wasn't a moment this year that I thought we were going to get it until literally the final five yards."
