Scotch College

OSCA Annual Breakfast gets right into Cup fever

More than 70 Old Boys and guests enjoyed a bird’s-eye view of the city from the 35th floor of Melbourne’s Sofitel Hotel, while increasing their knowledge immeasurably of the race that stops a nation.

The occasion was the OSCA Annual Breakfast on Wednesday 1 November, and the guest speaker was Dale Monteith, CEO of the Victoria Racing Club, and parent of Ed in Year 12 at Scotch.

Breakfasters enjoyed their scrambled eggs as Dale spoke knowledgably about the Melbourne Cup Carnival – how attendances have grown, and the fun, frivolity, fashion and finery have become even more part of Melbourne folklore than ever.

And, as Dale pointed out, it’s no new phenomenon. He quoted American author Mark Twain who visited Melbourne at Cup time in 1895: ‘Nowhere in the world have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation. The Cup astonishes me.’

As well as all the fun, Dale said there is a serious corporate side to the carnival, with companies falling over backwards to be part of the action and entertain guests at the Derby, Cup, Oaks or Stakes events making up the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

It was a most successful breakfast, well run by OSCA Functions and Events Organiser Monika Matlik and expertly convened by John Jeffreys.

Tim Shearer