Hong Kong Racing
Hong Kong Racing is like the seventh wonder of the world. Horse Racing is Hong Kong’s single biggest spectator sport. It is the only legal type of gambling permitted in Hong Kong. It is so big in fact that the Hong Kong Jockey Club is the largest tax payer in Hong Kong and donates approximately one billion dollars (Hong Kong) to charity and community groups annually.
The Hong Kong Racing Season includes approximately seventy eight races. Of these, forty seven are held during the day and thirty one are held at night. Hong Kong Racing takes place at two racecourses: the Happy Valley race track and the Sha Tin race course.
Hong Kong Racing at the Happy Valley Race Track
The Happy Valley Track was created in 1845 to cater to the British horse racing community. The first event took place in 1846 and in 1918 a fire destroyed the track. Completely reconstructed in 1995, Happy Valley rivals some of the best race tracks in the world. The reconstruction built a wider course, being 30.5 metres in width. The circumference of the course is 1417 metres and the straight is 310 metres. The total area of the course is 5.4 hectares.
Hong Kong Racing at the Sha Tin Race Course
The Sha Tin race track was established in 1978 and is managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It is larger than the other track in Hong Kong – the Happy Valley race course. The track itself is land that’s been taken from part of the Tolo Harbour.
Some of the major Group 1 races run at Sha Tin include: the Queen Elizabeth II Cup; the Hong Kong Derby; The Hong Cup; and the Hong Kong Sprint.
The track has the ability to house a crowd of 85,000 and also has an equine hospital; a laboratory; and a swimming facility for the horses. The Sha Tin track has a circumference of 1899 metres and a straight of 430 metres. The width of the course is 30.5 metres. The total area of the Sha Tin race course is 9.6 hectares. The track also houses a chute for 1000 metre races and a chute for 1800 metre races.
The Sha Tin race track holds a couple of world records. But they are not in regards to the horse racing. The course has set the record for the world’s biggest vision screen (eight metres by seventy metres). It is suggested to be as wide as a Boeing 747. The other world record that the Sha Tin track holds is that it introduced the first retractable paddock roof.
Hong Kong International Races
Some of the more prestigious Hong Kong Racing is that of the Hong Kong International Races. These include:
The Hong Kong Cup: This is a Group 1 race with approximately twenty million dollars (Hong Kong) in prize money. This race is held at the Sha Tin track and is a turf race over 2000 metres. It is for horses three years and over. In 1993, the race was a Group 3, then the following year it became a Group 2, and finally in 1999 it became Group 1.
Another Hong Kong International Race is that of the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase. In 1996 the race was Group 2 and in 2000 was given Group 1 status. Over a distance of 2400 metres, it is for three year olds. The prize money is fourteen million dollars (Hong Kong).
Another International Race on the Hong Kong Racing scene is that of the Hong Kong Mile. A 1600 metre event, it is for three year olds and over. The winnings are worth sixteen million dollars (Hong Kong).
The Hong Kong Sprint is another Hong Kong International Race that is worth twelve million dollars (Hong Kong). Over 1200 metres, it is for three year olds and up. In 1999 the race became a part of the International Races set. Beginning as listed status, it became Group 3 in 2000 and Group 2 the year after that. It was appointed Group 1 status in 2002. The Sprint was originally only 1000 metres in length, but in 2006 became a 1200 metre race.
Hong Kong racing is well worth any betting attention you throw its way. A spectacular in its own right, Hong Kong racing is up there amongst the best quality horse racing events in the world. The Hong Kong International Races and the Hong Kong race courses perhaps hold the most excitement of all of the Hong Kong Racing. The tracks are magnificent and the races are exciting. You can bet online at any Hong Kong Racing event. Punters will easily find Hong Kong Race odds as well as those on all major international racing events, such as the Melbourne Cup. You don’t need to be there in person and you don’t need to go to a betting agency to feel the excitement and experience of the thrill of betting on Hong Kong Racing.
