Peter Willie, 39, has drawn comparisons with legendary sprinter Usain Bolt after leaving fellow Cox Plate day patrons in his wake as the gates sprung back for the now customary spring carnival ‘turnstiles-to-table dash’. 

“I’ve just been served up a massive plate of dust for breakfast,” said one ‘table reserver’ who stepped from the adjoining stall to Willie. 

Despite barely breaking into a jog since 2016 and having hamstrings with the structural integrity of one-ply toilet paper, Willie risked it all to secure a prized table in the Furlong Bar. 

“I did a couple of quick stretches in the line but I still had zero confidence in the strings or baby cows,” said Willie, who joked that he’s currently about 20kg over his ‘playing weight’. 

A Flemington staffer manning the secondary checkpoint said “I felt like I was back in Pamplona” as a rampaging Willie charged towards the members’ entrance with nostrils flared.

“It genuinely took me back to the 2017 Running of the Bulls when I had to dive into a doorway to avoid being trampled,” said the gate attendant.

More to follow.