James McPhie's girlfriend roped him into entering the Fashion on the Fields contest and he was only thinking one thing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"If I don't win today, I'll never do it again," Mr McPhie said.
But luckily, Mr McPhie's first Black Opal Stakes Day saw him crowned the Classic Men's Racewear winner.
"It's a new experience. We were chatting when we were out there, you feel like you were on display," he said.
His winning suit was an old one he had bought a couple of years ago.
"Just thought I'd try something that stands out a bit," he said.
The women's winner, Anita Marshall, drove all the way from Melbourne with a mate on Sunday morning.
"We stopped on the side of the road and had to [change]," Ms Marshall said.
"It's been a very exciting, long day. Think we might go get a cheeky drink."
Ms Marshall's prize includes five days in London for two people. She said it was "pretty unbelievable" she was getting a free flight to England.
Falling just short was Sarah Crockett, who had been waiting for her Runner Up-prize winning dress to be shipped to her from online fashion retailer, ASOS.
"I couldn't order it," Ms Crockett said.
Luckily, four weeks ago the dress was restocked and Ms Crockett scrambled to design the rest of her outfit.
She said the fascinator and other accessories were a backup in case someone else showed up in the same dress on Sunday.
"I think I'm going to start planning my outfit for next year straight away," she said.
Millinery Award winner - that is, the prize for the best hat - Crystal Kimber only got her winning lid on the Friday before the Black Opal.
"It was a tight one," she said.
"I showed [the designer] a photo of what I was after and then [I was] just trying to match it to an idea I had in terms of a dress."
Ms Kimber, who flew in from Melbourne for her first Black Opal on Sunday, said she'd be back next year.
"It's been so much fun. Really good racing, great atmosphere," she said.
