The 1972 winner of this race, Piping Lane, went on to win the Melbourne Cup later in the year. The Assyrian is the only other horse to win both the Melbourne Cup and Hobart cup in 1882/83.
In the past the race has been held on the Australia Day holiday.[2]
It is part of the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival, and is also one of Tasmania's main annual social events.[3]