Front Row Melbourne Cup special: Jules Neale’s triumph after heartbreak, plus Jamie Foxx mobbed by Aussie stars

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Front Row has woken up the morning after Melbourne Cup day with our fascinators a little tilted and our heads a little sore – we didn’t drink, we just have a headache from all the celebrity chaos! Between Hollywood royalty Jamie Foxx’s bizarre rule for Aussie reporters, radio’s new golden girl losing her headpiece to gale-force winds and a near-miss with an ex that had everyone holding their breath, Cup Day 2026 didn’t disappoint.

Jules Neale gets her golden moment (and dodges an awkward ex run-in)

Jules Neale certainly had every reason to indulge in the top-shelf bubbles this Melbourne Cup.

After enduring a brutally public year navigating the breakdown of her marriage and ex Lachie Neale’s affair, Jules walked into the Maison Mumm marquee looking like absolute royalty.

In a move of peak social vindication, she was handed the ceremonial sabre to perform the marquee’s famous “Tap Tap” champagne moment. The room erupted – justice, served ice-cold with bubbles.

Of course, the Birdcage wouldn’t be the Birdcage without some high-stakes anxiety. Tension was running high after whispers circulated that Lachie and his new partner, Emma Field, might turn up, having already partied in the exact same tent on Saturday’s Derby Day.

Punters were practically craning their necks toward the velvet rope waiting for the clash of the century, but the awkward run-in never happened.

And after Lachie made the surprise decision to debut his new partner Emma Field on Derby Day, it seems the AFL premiership winner had the good graces to leave Cup Day to his ex.

Front Row caught up with Adelle Petropoulos, host of the Pretty Sure podcast, who famously hosted Jules on her podcast back in August and gave her the mic to unpack the split.

“Jules is a beautiful soul inside and out, so it’s very hard not to get along with her,” Adelle told nine.com.au, adding with a laugh: “She's my dream guest. I mean, it’s either her or Beyoncé, really!”

Honestly? Fair call.

Jamie Foxx sparks a Birdcage frenzy

Hollywood megastar Jamie Foxx – currently based in Melbourne while shooting his new action flick Deadlocked – brought pure Hollywood X-factor to the track. And let’s just say local celebrities completely lost their collective cool.

Inside the Don Julio marquee, freshly single My Kitchen Rules star Zana Pali was making the most of Cup Day, hitting the dance floor with the Oscar winner and naturally sharing the ultimate humble-brag video to Instagram.

Zana wasn’t alone – our social media feed was inundated with reality TV hopefuls swarming Foxx in an attempt to be associated with Hollywood allure.

Don’t get your hopes up, ladies! A reminder that Jamie’s heart firmly belongs to his Aussie girlfriend, Queensland fitness model Alyce Huckstepp, and with the pair currently expecting a baby together, Foxx is strictly off the market.

Front Row was hopeful we’d get to shimmy alongside Foxx, but we’d at least hoped for a quick chat.

But Foxx’s entourage were pretty firm: you can’t talk to him until he’s had his lunch. Luckily, we weren’t the only ones who failed to nail him down.

Foxx’s Cup Day appearance boiled down to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it boogie before he bolted out of the Birdcage faster than Cup-winning stallion Point of Law.

Carrie Bickmore’s replacement loses her hat (and her filter)

Over by the rail, Front Row caught up with radio’s newest recruit, Luisa Dal Din, better known as one half of Lu and Jarch (Jack Archdale). Lu and Jarch have just been handed the keys to the kingdom, taking over The Hit Network’s national Drive slot from Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little.

Lu was delightfully self-deprecating during her chat with Front Row. She was mid-sentence when a gust of wind sent her elaborate hat flying across the lawn, but it was no bother to Lu!

“Yeah, huge shoes to fill! We’re a bit nervous – we’re like, why have people given us the car keys to run this big thing?” she laughed to Front Row while chasing down her headwear.

“I moved over eight years ago, and Drive was always the dream. It’s a crazy pinch-me moment.”

Transitioning from an unfiltered podcast to the monitored airwaves of commercial radio might prove the real obstacle, though.

“Well, look, on radio you can’t swear, so that’s a given!” she giggled. “No, we’ve got great segments, an amazing team behind us, so, really excited.”

Get your bleep buttons ready, radio techs!

Scott Cam’s victory lap gets hijacked by Freddie Fittler

Fresh off The Block’s record-breaking Mount Eliza auctions, host Scott Cam was riding a massive high and ready to celebrate like a bloke who doesn’t have to look at wet plaster for at least another year.

“The auction was a highlight; it reset us again,” Scotty told Front Row. “We proved we’re a strong entity, even though the Victorian market is so weak. We got through that, and we did a great job.”

Scotty told us he’s fleeing straight to his farm to hide out for the off-season. But just as he was basking in the glory, NRL icon Brad “Freddy” Fittler snuck up from behind to derail the entire chat.

“That’s Freddie Fittler tickling me on the arse,” Scotty deadpanned.

He quickly ditched all race-day formalities to reminisce about the Roosters’ heart-stopping finals finish instead.

When the pair finally remembered they were at the races and attempted to pivot to fashion, Freddy dropped this wardrobe confession: his suit was actually a last minute emergency package from the Nine wardrobe department

“They’re leftovers! I’ve actually got Tubby Taylor’s shirt on,” Freddy chuckled shamelessly. “I was that embarrassed it fitted – so it fitted, Tubby’s that tall!”

Nothing screams Melbourne Cup glamour quite like borrowing Aussie cricket legend Mark Taylor’s spare shirt and grabbing Scott Cam on live tape.

Never change, boys.

Want more entertainment? We’ve got you.

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• Recap: ‘Grow up’: Islanders watch on as feuding duo go head-to-head in brutal showdown
• Front Row: Cody Simpson’s wild Sydney outing and NRL tough guy’s red-faced stage moment

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