Oprah's Aussie Secrets-we have them

One of the benefits of attending the old fashioned Black & White Ball is the contacts one runs into. It's the last of the old style Eastern Suburbs dances and the madcap Debutante's Derby is a sight to see.

Ball-gowned young beauties reel in wooden horses in a paean to the Royal Randwick Races. A heart stopping starter's gun is fired and pandemonium breaks loose as the barracking from the well-heeled spectators fills the room egging on their young daughters to gallop the wooden charges into first place.

The other major excitement for the night was asking the Hon Bronwyn Bishop MP-guest of honour-what she thought about now being the oldest MP in the Federal parliament. She fixed us with her steely gaze and replied-"there are MPs older than me you know". Her prediction for the future-Kevin Rudd will resign from Parliament within a year.

Next year all that may change. As one racing identity told us tonight-the snooty Australian Jockey's Club (AJC) that runs Randwick has voted to merge with the Sydney Turf Club that oversees racing tracks in outer Sydney such as Rosehill near Parramatta. AJC members are mortified.

The last time the Shuttle attended the races at Rosehill we were cadged into assisting as spotters in a local version of 'Fashions In The Field' . When our choice of young filly alighted the competitor's stage in a white wedding dress (with beefy tattooed arms), the announcer enquired as to what the large ornamental object was that she was holding high like a trophy.

His words-broadcast to thousands as necks craned to see, faded away to a hoarse croak as it dawned upon him that he just drawn the inquisitive crowd's attention to a giant purple dildo. Alas-she didn't win a prize and we haven't been asked back.

We digress. The ball was held at the Four Season's Hotel at Circular Quay and we button-holed someone that matters. In December a large block booking has been made for 180 rooms plus the penthouse . A range of alterations to the penthouse have been requested from a crew of 8 advance crew from a certain TV show broadcast out of Chicago. At the nearby Holiday Inn, a further 144 rooms have been booked.

However the plot thickens. At the very same time 6 of the very very best rooms and the major suite at the Park Hyatt Hotel, directly opposite the Opera House has been booked by the same US crew.

Our source however says that Oprah herself will most likely be at the Hotel Intercontinental due to it's close location to the Opera House.

And there are more hotel bookings. At the luxurious Hamilton Island, a luxury suite that comes with butler service and overlooks the Coral Sea, has been secured for 2 nights. So now you know. And more soon on who will be Oprah Winfrey's guests and who won't. Gardening guru Jamie Durie is in the second lot and we'll tell you why.