KEY POINTS:
The ladies missed out as a male photographer won a fetching pair of $1000 diamond earrings at Angela Daniel's Auckland Cup celebrations on Thursday night. The prize, won in a raffle/phantom horse race commentated by Andrew "Butch" Castles, left several Remuera ladies miffed.
The evening was just a taster though - today the best-dressed will have a shot at a $25,000 white diamond.
This year's competition will have a twist - Daniel has organised a group of fashion police dubbed "Angela's Angels" to roam the racecourse in specially designed Trelise Cooper angel costumes, complete with tiaras and wings.
"It's a chance to have a bit fun with the competition," said Daniel.
Her angels, Harriet Wall, Kim Scott and Laura Thavat, will be accompanied by weather presenter Toni Marsh, Miss Popularity winner Jesse Gurunathan, and Radio Sport host Willie Lose, to pick the most elegantly coutured racegoers.
The finalists will then be paired with a horse, the race-winner taking the bling.
Daniel will be wearing a diamond herself to the races, aptly named "Diamond Day". At the cocktail event, she said the tough choice would be deciding which stone to wear, but she was considering an aquamarine and pink sapphire ring. Another ring, still in production, valued at $190,000 will be, once finished, the most expensive in her Nuffield St Store.
Customers Emma Morrison and Megan Singleton, who attended the evening, admired Daniel's new collection, but spent the majority of their time trying on a $98,000 diamond, currently the biggest rock on display.
The rest of the collection is "achievable to afford", says Daniel. The trained gemologist designed a "classically inspired" range featuring pearls and onyx, suitable for Derby Day, and a more colourful collection for the diamond event.
