The Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival is held in Australia's only island state which is the state of Tasmania. The state itself is situated in the southern part of Australia across the Bass Straight which can be reached by either air or sea. Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania and is located around 600 kilometres south of Melbourne.

Metropolitan racing in Tasmania is held at Hobart and Launceston racecourses and Tasmanian racing does not conduct any Group 1 or Group 2 events. The three major races on the racing calendar each year are all Group 3 races.

The biggest race of the year at Hobart race track is the $400,000 Gr3 Hobart Cup which is an open handicap over a distance of 2200 metres held on a Monday in February. The Hobart track is also home to the $200,000 Gr3 Tasmanian Derby for three-year-olds over 2200 metres, which takes place nine days before the Hobart Cup on a Saturday.

Launceston's major race takes place midweek on a Wednesday afternoon in late February with the running of the $300,000 Gr3 Launceston Cup over 2400 metres.

Both clubs also hold listed stakes races in the months of November and December.