Coincidentally it will be on International Women’s Day.

Bookmaker Warren Barrington, of Gawler East, will have a staff of five ladies running his second stand on the first floor of the Morphettville grandstand.

“Women have been working for bookmakers for some time now but Monday will be the first time a whole stand has been operated by the fairer sex,” Warren said.

Belinda Hosking from Gawler East will be the on-stand agent calling the odds while Sue Baohm of Angle Vale will be the clerk recording the bets on the computer.

Taking the money on the bag will be Katrina Gilbert from Ascot Park whose father Barry is Barrington’s regular raceday satchel-swinger.

Payout operators will be Barrington’s wife Joy and Jodie Quick from Lyndoch.

“The idea to have an all-female stand came about when we were all out having a meal after last year’s Melbourne Cup meeting at Morphettville,” Warren said.

“Several of the ladies had worked for me that day when I also had two stands and it came up that perhaps we should have an all-female staff stand.”

Belinda said the ladies would be working as a team to try and show a profit on Cup day.

“I’ve been an agent twice before for Warren and had winning days each time,” Belinda said. “Hopefully on Monday I can make it three-from-three.

“Sue is an excellent clerk and I will be relying heavily on her to let me know how the book is shaping up race-by-race.

“We actually treat the money as if it were our own and don’t let ourselves get into a situation where a particular horse can be a really bad loser.”

Warren said he didn’t check with his second stand operators during the day.

“I have complete faith in the ladies. It is a case of waiting until after the last race and find out the results.”