Vancouver’s Deighton Cup has grown from a small group birthday celebration to over 4,000 people strolling the promenade at Hastings Racecourse. “Gassy Jack” Deighton, for whom the race is named, would not recognize the sophistication that abounds. Instead of whiskey shots, red champagne flutes and bottles of $150 Piper-Heidsieck were carried around like water bottles.
Anything goes in the way of attire at the Deighton Cup. Some attendees wish to be considered for Best Dressed, but others dress to impress, to see and be seen.
Fascinators, tiaras, hats with real flowers or vegetables, tulle, netting, and lace, men in top hats, fedoras, bowlers, suspenders, custom suits to celebrate the occasion.
Some dresses go to incredible lengths of short and figure hugging or full maxi gowns of exotic fabrics, or sleek couture. Flamenco inspired dresses match with florals, split-leaf philodendra leaves that shoot up to the head! Pink flamingo suits were long or with shorts or couples matching. Mile’s End Motors hostesses wore red to match the champagne glasses.
As well as champagne, Ciroc vodka, Mint Juleps with bourbon in refillable stainless steel tumblers and Stella were quaffed, oysters were shucked, cigars smoked, and Poke Bowls were munched.
Eventually, the raison d’être, the horse racing started. Money passed through wickets or on computer terminals and soon winners and losers become apparent. The crowd thinned, but the party carried on into the evening.
Let’s not forget one of the day’s most popular attractions – the Style Stakes.
Eboye Porbeni was crowned the 2017 Belle Du Jour, and Prevail, the Gallant Sartorial.
And the first-ever People’s Choice award went to The One by Seep Narula.
The Deighton Cup returns for its tenth year in 2018. See you there!
