Racing: Glamour jockey Brown here for first time

Fashions In The Field and the young set won't be the only glam at Ellerslie this afternoon.

Australia's glamour jockey Corey Brown will be at Ellerslie for the first time to ride A$1.5 million ($1.9 million) Victoria Derby winner Monaco Consul in the $200,000 Zabeel Classic. Three days after Brown won the Derby on the New Zealand colt he rode Shocking to win the A$5.5 million Emirates Melbourne Cup. Brown is considered Australia's best rider. Unlike most of us, jockeys rarely look forward to Christmas Day.

Eating is cheating and much of Brown's day yesterday, before he flew to Auckland last night, was spent in a sauna to get down to Monaco Consul's lightweight 52kg. "There wasn't a huge amount of Christmas cheer in the Brown household," he said.

Owen Glenn-owned Monaco Consul has been quoted by the TAB as the $3.50 favourite for the Zabeel.

* The big race

The New Zealand Herald Christmas Carnival starts today at Ellerslie

Gates open at 10.30am

First race at 12.55pm

1pm Viva Fashions in the Field begins (winners announced 4.55pm)

The big race, Group I $200,000 Zabeel Classic, is at 6.12pm