Dancing divas a top pick at Auckland Cup carnival

Kellen Pinheiro's samba dancers will keep racegoers entertained.

The first time Brazilian dancer Kellen Pinheiro visited New Zealand 11 years ago, she fell in love with the country - and a Kiwi bloke.

Today will be another first for the dancing diva, who is performing at Ellerslie Racecourse as part of Diamond Day - a day of races and fashion to celebrate the end of Auckland Cup Week.

"It's exciting, I'm really looking forward to it," Ms Pinheiro said.

Her troupe of dancers called The Brazilian Divas, complete with skimpy, sparkling bikinis and brightly coloured feather headpieces, and a capoeira martial artist, will be accompanied by percussion group AK Samba to keep punters entertained.

Ms Pinheiro has been dancing the samba about 20 years now, and also teaches the dance, which she said was popular in Rio de Janeiro.

Today's Diamond Day will raise money for the Ronald McDonald House charity. And to celebrate International Women's Day tomorrow, milliner Natalie Chan and shoe designer Kathryn Wilson will roam the stands to pick out the best dressed woman, who'll win a prize package valued at more than $10,000.

Races include the group one $200,000 Haunui Farm Diamond Stakes (for the country's best 2-year-old horses) and the group one $200,000 Ronald McDonald House Charities New Zealand Stakes.

Diamond Day - today

• Diamond Day supports charity Ronald McDonald House.

• Races include the group one $200,000 Haunui Farm Diamond Stakes (for NZ's best 2-year-old horses) and the group one $200,000 Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ Stakes.

• The Whips and Spurs Carnival celebrates the finale of Auckland Cup Week.

• BMW Diamond Darling - Diamond Day follows the tradition of Women's Day internationally with a focus on style, glamour and fashion. Today, one well-dressed woman will be picked from the crowd by judges Natalie Chan and Kathryn Wilson to win a prize package valued at more than $10,000.

• Federal Food in the Field will include a selection of dishes on offer from Federal St restaurants The Grill by Sean Connolly and Peter Gordon's Bellota, including duck-fat chips and lamb ribs with apple and honey.

• General admission $10, children under 15 free, gates open at 11am, Whips and Spurs starts at 12.30pm.