Joining Nikolai in the queue for media wall photographs at Randwick will be special guests and content creators Bella Clinton, Alex Fevola and Costeen Hatzi.

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At Caulfield, Vitinaros will be adding hashtags to photographs alongside content creators Emily Gurr, Demi Brereton and actor Olympia Valance.

The growing presence of content creators in the betting ring is at odds with recent social media campaigns that raise concerns about animal welfare around racing events.

Pru Corrigan, founder of talent agency One DayDream, which represent social media stars Brooke Warne, Stella Kim and Amy Pejkovic, says that it’s best for talent to acknowledge the elephant, or mare, in the room.

“Horse racing is deeply rooted in Australian tradition, but it’s also an area where opinions have shifted, and rightfully so,” Corrigan says. “We recognise and respect the diversity of views around attending or supporting racing events.

“I believe in thoughtful engagement, celebrating community, creativity and fashion, while supporting conversations and practices that prioritise animal welfare and ethical responsibility.”

“We encourage our team and our talent to make decisions that align with their own values, and we remain mindful of the evolving expectations around how culture, sport and entertainment intersect.”

A similar approach is taken by Curnow at the MRC, who says that working with potential ambassadors involves scrutiny and education.

“There’s certainly been more consideration from talent, and we completely understand that,” Curnow says. “We work with people who respect the sport and understand its evolution. When ambassadors see our commitment to integrity, welfare and the broader cultural experience, they’re proud to partner with us.”

For Melbourne-born Vitinaros, who appeared on Greece’s Next Top Model before finding success on social media, attending the Caulfield Cup helps broaden her audience beyond tennis fashion fans.

“I’m more of a tennis girly, but I do love the races as well,” Vitinaros says. “While people are just catching on to fashion in tennis, there’s such a long tradition with racing.

“I was aware of the controversy surrounding racing. There’s a real community around racing that I’ve met with and spoken to, especially groups that are trying to do what’s best for the horses. I’ve taken that into account.”

For Count Nikolai, who first attended horse races in his mother Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg’s native Hong Kong, before attending the Melbourne Cup in 2023 as a guest of the Victoria Racing Club, it’s all about the adrenaline.

“I really like the intensity of the day,” Nikolai says. “It’s all rather grand.”

Nikolai knows his way around a horse, although he says racing is less popular than dressage events in Denmark.

“Last week I was riding a horse on the tundra in Iceland, but that’s a bit different.”

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