Description of the attraction
Happy Valley Racecourses is one of only two horse racing racetracks and tourist attraction in Hong Kong. It is located in the eponymous Happy Valley area of Hong Kong Island, next to Wong Nai Chung Road and Morrison Hill Road.
The racetrack was built in 1845 to meet the British need for one of Hong Kong's favorite sports games. At the beginning of construction, the area was a swampy area inhabited by mosquitoes, but its flat plain was ideal for a racetrack. To make way for a horse racing field, the Hong Kong government has banned rice farming in surrounding villages.
The first race took place in December 1846. Over time, horse racing has become more and more popular among the locals.
On February 26, 1918, a major fire broke out at the racetrack, killing about 600 people. The overturning of the temporary tribune, which fell on the food tents and barbecues, led to the tragedy.
The reconstruction of the racetrack in 1995 made it a world-class facility. Races usually take place on Wednesday evenings and are open to all comers; the seven-story stands can accommodate about 55,000 spectators. In addition to the race tracks, the structure includes a football, hockey and rugby stadium, which is managed by the Department of Cultural Activities.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its archive and museum, which are located on the second floor of the complex, were founded in 1995 and opened on October 18, 1996. The museum has four exhibition halls. The first is called "Genesis of Horses" - it shows the migration routes of animals from northern China to Hong Kong. The second hall is dedicated to the history of the creation of the second hippodrome in Hong Kong - "Sha Ting". The next room tells about the anatomy and characteristics of animals, the skeleton of a horse - a three-time champion of Hong Kong, is exhibited. The fourth gallery hosts a variety of thematic exhibitions, as well as campaigns for charitable organizations and public projects supported by the jockey club.
The institution has a cinema and a gift shop.
