PEOPLE who are not familiar with the Commercial Club Albury Gold Cup -- and there can't be many of them in the Albury-Wodonga area -- may think that to be invited to a marquee on the day you need to be a professional person or a member of the landed gentry.
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But a walk down "Marquee Alley", which runs parallel to the straight at the Albury racecourse, will reveal plenty of relaxed socialites with access to their own bookies and tote.
Lecky's Electrical and Data general manager in Albury, Peter Junck, said his company had run a marquee for about a decade and that the day was a great way to say thank-you to the proprietors of businesses who were clients, suppliers and "friends of Lecky's".
"It is also a chance to say thank-you to the wives and partners of our customers who themselves do so much to support our business," Mr Junck said.
"We usually invite about 230 people to the marquee, including the owners of the business."
And an invite is much-sought after on the Border.
"We serve a sit-down two-course meal -- with finger food throughout the day -- and wines, spirits and beer," Mr Junck said.
"We also have a two-piece band, Alibi, who have been with us since the beginning and who are very popular.
"I just love the day and the fact it is such a tremendous opportunity to host people and be able to show them how much Lecky's appreciate their support, in so many ways."
However, Mr Junck said the day did not "just happen".
"It requires an enormous amount of organising," he said.
"I am so lucky my personal assistant Glenys Allen is so competent at putting it all together; she does an amazing job."
As far as Mr Junck is concerned "Marquee Alley" is the social centre of the day.
"Most of the people in the marquees know a lot of other people in other marquees, and sometimes it can be a matter of just talking over the fence.
"A good mate of mine, Stuart Gordon, who owns Stuart Gordon Landscaping and Paving Specialists, I think would have had his marquee alongside ours for just about every year we have been hosting one."
But not all the marquees are about showing appreciation to people who support your business.
Some are just about getting together with good friends, many of whom come from outside the region -- and not just from Sydney and Melbourne.
About 58 marquees are located at the course, 29 of which can be found trackside, a more formal way of saying Marquee Alley.
Proof of the popularity of hosting a marquee at the racecourse on Gold Cup day is that all sites are sold out weeks before the day.