Category: Racecourses

One of the only two racecourses in Hong Kong, the Happy Valley Racecourse was established in 1845. The racecourse was built on the only available flat area in Hong Kong Island, which happened to be a swampland. It was reclaimed and the neighbouring villages prohibited from rice farming to nurture the sport. Horseracing was then a preserve of the British who were the elite, though the Chinese have since picked it up.

The Happy Valley Racecourse has a capacity of 55,000. The racing season in Hong Kong begins in September and goes all the way to July. Wednesday nights and some weekends are the most ideal times to catch races at Happy Valley and attendance is open not just to the Hong Kong Jockey Club members but the public as well.

To catch the excitement of the horseracing sport, one should not miss the Hong Kong International Races, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Hong Kong Derby. The International Riding Champion is an award that goes to the winner of the International Jockey Championship, also held at Happy Valley. The night carnivals offer a wide array of entertainment, drinks, food and music, besides the live races.

The Parade Ring has a capacity of 1,400 spectators on four balconies. Its retractable roof gives one the opportunity to see and inspect the horses before the race begins, no matter the weather. The Happy Valley Racecourse also offers other leisure activities besides horseracing

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These include hockey, rugby and football all played on the course’s inner field. The Gift Shop has lots of event-themed souvenirs to buy and keep. The Hong Kong Racing Museum is situated on Happy Valley Stand’s second floor. Here, one can learn about Hong Kong’s racing history, complete with photos from the 19th Century. At the Adrenaline Bar, one can enjoy the live music and a cocktail, or a barbeque at the Beer Garden.

 

 

Part of what was the Rancho Santa Anita, the Santa Anita Park was opened on the Christmas of 1934 in Arcadia and was the first officially established thoroughbred racecourse in the whole of California. Named after Anita Cota, a relative of the original owner, Claudio Lopez, the Santa Anita Park is arguably the most glamorous racecourse in CA, with the flashy building against the background of the San Gabriel Mountains. It has a dirt track that is one mile long and a turf course that is 0.9 miles.

The races, especially after the lifting of the ban on betting, became a favourite of Hollywood stars, some of them even entering their horses in the races. Even during the Depression, business in the racecourse was still booming, with the Santa Anita Handicap raking in more money than any other race in the country.

The Santa Anita Derby is just as much of a favourite, whose winner is also expected to take the Kentucky Derby trophy. The day is packed with a series of 10 races. Held in early March, the Santa Anita Derby is deemed the most important in North America for horses that are older than four years, especially during the winter season. The 1937 film ‘Day at the Races’ by the Marx Brothers was actually shot on Derby Day at Santa Anita.

The Breeder’s Cup has been hosted at the Santa Anita Park eight times, which is a record no other racecourse has attained. The Vox Populi Award at Santa Anita usually goes to the horse that stole the hearts of the public.

Seabiscuit, whose statue immortalizes the likelihood of chance, won the Santa Anita Handicap in 1940. He is a symbol of hope despite the odds. And that spirit is evident throughout California, the hope that dreams can come true and anyone can be a winner.

As we enter the dying embers of British summertime and the horse racing flat season punters look ahead to the Haydock Sprint Cup knowing time is running out to land that elusive big winner of the campaign.

Scheduled to go to post on Saturday 8^th September, this group one flat race run over the snappy six-furlong trip has attracted a strong field with this year’s renewal promising a £260,000 prize pot, over £160,000 of that gifted to the winner.

First contested all the way back in 1966, this British racing spectacle open to three-year-olds and above was won by Harry Angel for jockey Adam Kirby and trainer Clive Cox last year and bookmakers expect more of the same as the champion returns to defend his crown.

 

Success around Haydock Park 12 months ago remains one of five wins from 10 starts for progressive four-year-old Harry Angel who has finished outside of the first two only twice in his career as a race horse to date. Starting with a silver medal at Ascot in a novices Stakes on debut, the bay colt was quick to learn and popped his head in front at the second time of asking, beating Perfect Angel over 6f in the group two Mill Reef Stakes when going off a 2/1 favourite.

The team got the taste of success that day and have certainly grown familiar with it since, winning the group two Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock, group one July Cup at Newmarket last summer, that Sprint Cup score and, most recently, victory in the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes around York in May. Harry Angel again went off jolly on that occasion and lived up to the pre-race hype, holding runner-up Brando at arm’s length.

The only slight blot on the form runner’s copybook came last time out when finishing with only one behind in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot in June. A race won by 4/1 shot Merchant Navy, Harry Angel carried the shortest price of the bunch but had problems throughout. Agitated in the stalls, he was slow to get off and, having given the rest a head-start, was in no mood to close the gap. Jockey Adam Kirby was quick to notice the danger, refusing to ask too much of his mount.

 

 

Connections will travel to Haydock determined to prove that was a one-off but punters may be reluctant to give him another chance after having their fingers burnt on the big stage. The 10/3 available at William Hill makes him favourite in the racing betting. That quote may just scare a few off.

If Harry Angel doesn’t win the Sprint Cup bookmakers think it’ll be James Garfield with George Scott’s colt doing the rounds as a 7/1 second favourite. Others worth a mention in the current list are US Navy Flag at 7/1, Blue Point 7/1 and the 10/1 of Tasleet.