Hidden in the myriad of soaring skyscrapers that is Hong Kong Island, there is a large horse racing track, which on Wednesday nights from September through July, sets the stage for an incredible mid-week event for locals and tourists alike!
Happy Valley
The Racecourse is managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and located in Happy Valley, a name I only previously associated with the Penn State Nittany Lions! (Happy Valley is the nickname for the State College area of Pennsylvania). This “Happy Valley” is quite different, filled with towering residential buildings, Chinese shops, markets, a hospital, a massive race track and located about two miles east of the large financial towers in Central Hong Kong.
Entry was quick and efficient. With my Octopus card (a card payment system in Hong Kong which you can use on transportation, at grocery stores, & even at the race track!), all I had to do to get into the public viewing areas of the racecourse was touch my card on the turnstile entrance. $10 Hong Kong dollars later (1.30 US dollars), I was overlooking the race track and stands.
My excitement grew when I passed through the turnstiles and observed the scene around me – a brightly lit stadium, a good crowd of people already in attendance (and this was 45 minutes before the first race started) a nice selection of bars and restaurants at track level, and stands everywhere where vendors sold beer and food.
Beer At The Racecourse
Oktoberfest may have ended in Germany, but it’s continuing in China! After getting lucky enough to experience the Oktoberfest celebration in Macau, China last week, our celebration continued at the Happy Valley Racecourse. A German band played music in between the races, the smell of sausages and sauerkraut filled the air around me, and the beer selection included traditional options like Heineken as well as some less traditional options from German breweries like Paulaner and Erdinger.
About The Horse Races
There were 8 races in total, one race every half hour that started at 7:15pm and continued through 11pm. The night passed by in a flash. In between races there was always a flurry of activity as entertainment resumed and people studied their programs to determine their next bets (Minimum bets were $20 Hong Kong dollars, or about $2.50 US, so you could play it very conservatively if you wanted to get in the action but didn’t want to worry about losing a lot of money!).
What a cool night overall. The weather was perfect (around 75 degrees fahrenheit), the beer was delicious and the crowd lively. A very action-packed Wednesday night!
Don’t miss out on a visit to the Happy Valley racecourse if you’re in Hong Kong!
October 26, 2013
China, Travel