Happy Valley Racecourse
Encyclopedia
Happy Valley Racecourse (Chinese:
快活谷馬場 or 跑馬地馬場) is one of the two racecourses for horse racing
in Hong Kong
. It is located in Happy Valley
on Hong Kong Island
, surrounded by Wong Nai Chung Road
and Morrison Hill Road
.
It was first built in 1845 to provide horse racing for the British people in Hong Kong. Before it was built, the area was a swampland, but also the only flat ground suitable for horse racing on Hong Kong Island. To make way for the racecourse, Hong Kong Government prohibited rice growing by villages in the surrounding area. The first race ran in December 1846. Over the years, horse racing became more and more popular among the Chinese residents.
On 26 February 1918, there was a fire and at least 590 people died. By the next day as many as 576 definite deaths were reported by the Hong Kong Telegraph. It was caused by the collapse of a temporary grandstand, which knocked over food stalls and set bamboo matting ablaze. It is a fire with one of the highest casualties in Hong Kong history.
The track was rebuilt in 1995, and became a world-class horse racing facility. Several football
, hockey
and rugby
fields are encircled by the horseracing track.
There are four galleries in the museum:
There is also a cinema and a souvenir shop in the museum.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
快活谷馬場 or 跑馬地馬場) is one of the two racecourses for horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It is located in Happy Valley
Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Happy Valley is a mostly residential suburb of Hong Kong, located in the northern part of Hong Kong Island. Administratively, it is part of Wan Chai District....
on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, surrounded by Wong Nai Chung Road
Wong Nai Chung Road
Wong Nai Chung Road is a major road in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. It is a U-shaped road that encircles the southern and eastern sides of the Happy Valley Racecourse. It starts northeast at the junction with Leighton Road, then turns southward and meets Blue Pool Road at the southern residential area...
and Morrison Hill Road
Morrison Hill Road
Morrison Hill Road is a major road in Happy Valley and Wan Chai of Hong Kong. It connects south to Aberdeen Tunnel, runs north along Happy Valley Racecourse and meets the east end of Queen's Road Central. It runs into residential blocks after the junction of Canal Road and Leighton Road...
.
History
On 26 February 1918, there was a fire and at least 590 people died. By the next day as many as 576 definite deaths were reported by the Hong Kong Telegraph. It was caused by the collapse of a temporary grandstand, which knocked over food stalls and set bamboo matting ablaze. It is a fire with one of the highest casualties in Hong Kong history.
The track was rebuilt in 1995, and became a world-class horse racing facility. Several football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
and rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
fields are encircled by the horseracing track.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Archive and Museum
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Archive and Museum (or Hong Kong Racing Museum) was set up in 1995 and opened on 18 October 1996. It is now located on the second floor of the Happy Valley Stand of the racecourse.There are four galleries in the museum:
- The Origin of Our Horses: Shows the migration route horses travelled in the early days from the northern part of China to Hong Kong.
- Shaping Sha Tin: Exhibits the history of construction of Sha Tin RacecourseSha Tin RacecourseSha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.Penfold Park is encircled by the track.-History:...
. - Understanding Horses: Exhibits the skeleton of the three-time Hong Kong Champion Silver Lining
- Thematic Exhibitions: The history of the Jockey Club is exhibited. Selected charitable organizations and community projects supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust are also displayed in this gallery.
There is also a cinema and a souvenir shop in the museum.
External links
- http://www.racecourses.hkjc.com
- Details on Hong Kong Tourism Board website
- Details on Hong Kong Jockey Club website
- Details on LCSD website