Horse Racing in Hong Kong
Unusual Event Seasons for Horse Racing
Hong Kong has enchanting weather during the UK winter, and this former British colony continues to be a big draw for people from the United Kingdom. Certainly it has lost little of the special charm that regents from London built up over the course of more than a century. Many tourists think of Hong Kong as a shopper’s paradise, while those from the worlds of business and commerce think of it as a spring board for the massive China market. Indeed, Hong Kong is both of these things, but it is also a very advanced place when it comes to horse racing.
Hong Kong has horse racing throughout the year, but the top events are held in December. This makes Hong Kong especially attractive for Brits who look forward to a winter break with a difference. The Hong Kong International Races comprise 5 famous events which draw horse racing lovers and competitors from far reaches of the globe.
The people of Hong Kong love horse racing and even the conservative Chinese rulers have kept gambling in this sport legal and widely available. The fervor with which people in the street follow horse racing in Hong Kong gives visitors from the West a whole new experience.
Hong Kong never does anything on a modest scale, and true to form, boasts 2 race courses, even though property is at such a premium in this relatively small territory. Shatin and Happy Valley have vibrant atmospheres, and characters all of their own. You have not really seen top horse racing until you have witnessed events at both these race courses!
The horse racing authorities of Hong Kong have been careful to keep gambling clean in their territory. All betting goes in to a pari-mutuel system, and the organizing Jockey Club is content with its percentage share. The scale of odds betting is on such a grand scale that the tote on a single day may equal a whole year’s kitty on the average race course elsewhere! This is also an important consideration for top owners and riders to travel large distances and try their hands at horse racing in Hong Kong.
So go ahead and start shopping for great travel and accommodation deals for a Hong Kong horse racing vacation this winter!