Chris Scholtz 
Rod Nicholson
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Rod Nicholson
RACING EDITOR MELBOURNE SUNDAY HERALD-SUN
Rod Nicholson is one of the most revered sports and racing journalists in the nation. Rod has travelled the world to experience the best racing and sporing events and his recent visit to Tasmania's Summer Carnival has left a lasting impression, as he explains:
CARNIVAL time at any racetrack is special.
Having experienced such occasions at the Melbourne Spring Carnival, Sydney's Autumn Carnival, England's famous Epsom Derby, Hong Kong's International race day, Deauville in France, Barbados in the West Indies, and Australian centres such as Darwin and Adelaide, it was a pleasant surprise to discover the special treats of the AAMI Tasmanian Racing Summer Carnival.
The beauty of the Hobart Cup carnival was its blend of the big time and the familiarity of community racing. Not as big as the major events around Australia, yet larger than country features such as Warrnambool or Swan Hill, it boasted an exciting combination of the spectacular and sheer simplicity.
The Carbine Club was a typical boisterous start to a major carnival, and the Cadbury Derby Ball was a highlight that could have been the focal point of any major carnival, be it in the spring in Melbourne or autumn in Sydney or in December in Hong Kong.
What is obviously different about the Hobart Cup is the genuine excitement the day holds for racing fans. Increasingly people from Victoria are trekking to Hobart for the weekend's racing, while locals are warm and welcoming and have a pride in their Carnival.
Those of us who have experienced the Hobart Cup during recent years jot it in our diaries. More and more are doing so.
While the event may become bigger in terms of attendance, the core of its success should never be lost: the friendly, diverse and joyful celebration of the state capital's major racing event.
Be it at the Carbine Club, the ball, at the celebrity golf day, at the Casino or at the racetrack, the one constant is the unbridled generosity and spirit of the locals that makes the carnival such a pleasure. |
