(written by Cait)
And they’re off!
Brad’s in line placing bets, while I looked on in awe at the size of the stands.
Every Sunday afternoon and Wednesday night during the racing season, Happy Valley Racecourse holds live horse races, open to the public (and usually free). Located in a valley in the neighborhood of Causeway Bay, the area was once a swamp, but in 1842, the British dug it out and turned it into a race track.
Brad and I made it to the track in time for the fifth race last Sunday, having already won two bets Brad placed at a jockey club when we were on Lantau Island earlier in the day (see post Don’t Feed the Feral Cows). While Brad went to place more bets, I weaseled my way to the rail right against the track at the 200 meter mark-meaning 200 meters from the finish line, but many of the races started close to that mark as well. The pounding of hooves and cheering from the crowd can make the beginning of a race just as exciting as the finish. And it turned out that this stretch of the track is where the horses warm up before the races, trotting or galloping by us, panting and snorting. While Brad’s putting money on the speed of these horses, I’d put money on them winning a beauty contest. Strong, shinny, and proud, they are beautiful. And I just want to pet them!
A jockey and his horse warming up before a race.
The Happy Valley Racecourse has many restaurants and bars, but you can also bring in small amounts of food or drinks yourself! I’m not talking like a case of beer and rolling in a grill, but a water bottle filled with wine, a couple beers, something of that sort are just fine.
We had so much fun that we want to make it a tradition going to the racecourse on Sunday afternoons. Due to the layout of the track, the fans stay in the shade most of the day, which will be really nice once the weather gets hot and humid this summer. Overall, we broke even with our bets-you win some, you lose some, so they say. But for me, it was such an enjoyable day, I’ll put that down as a win in my book!