In an idiotic tradition nearly as timeless as the Melbourne Cup itself, a presumably well-refreshed punter has been spied bolting down the Ascot straight during the last race in Perth on Tuesday.
Thousands flocked to Ascot to take in Cup day, with police reporting a generally well-behaved crowd.
But as is often the case at big race events, one attendee took matters too far, vaulted the fence and ran shirtless along the home straight as favourite, Variation, cruised to an easy win in the ninth and final race of what was, on the evidence of the available footage, a seemingly long day.
WA Police were not aware of the incident but it seems likely the wannabe sprinter would, at the very least, have been ejected from the course for his transgression.
Big effort the bloke down the outside rail, last Ascot. pic.twitter.com/Sg6Q5AvuX3
— Julian Holsman (@Upuspupus) November 1, 2016
As Almandin grabbed a narrow victory at Flemington to give leviathan owner Lloyd Williams his fifth Melbourne Cup, local police were largely pleased by the actions of those at Ascot.
About a dozen move-on notices - mainly relating to disorderly behaviour and intoxication - were issued and there were two subsequent arrests for breaches of those notices.
There was one report of an assault, with a 22-year-old man struck to the head with what was believed to be a glass bottle. He was treated by St John Ambulance at the scene.
"In the scheme of things, from a policing point of view, there were not really any issues," a police spokesperson said.
Police did not know how many people were ejected from the premises by security.
At Flemington, there was an attempted microphone theft:
This is spectacular. Some random outside Flemington trying to rip the microphone out of the Seven reporter's hand. #threesheetstothewind pic.twitter.com/c3BSM1KukN
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) November 1, 2016
Meanwhile, in Brisbane, there was more heartwarming - but no less misguided - bid to reunite a wallet containing $3 with its rightful owner.
Anyone lose their wallet....? One woman, who appears to have celebrated a bit too hard, has gained a few seconds of fame speaking to a 9 News reporter after finding a wallet on Melbourne Cup day in Brisbane.
Posted by 9 News Perth on Tuesday, November 1, 2016