Smack in the middle of Hong Kong Island is a horse racetrack which runs every other Wednesday evening. The well lit skyline towers over the bleachers as the horses and jockeys parade for the “investment” crowd before the first race, and dim sum is quickly consumed so that bets can be placed and seats procured. Happy Valley is a delightful Hong Kong destination, and the perfect place to win a little folding money for souvenirs or, as in my case, watch $50 quickly disappear.
A pass is required to attend the races at Happy Valley, put they are easily obtained for purcgase by walking into any of the many off-track sites located throughout Hong Kong by simply showing your passport. I recommend a VIP pass for $200 HK dollars ($30 US), which gets you a seat in the second level above the bustling crowds below and, even more importantly, access to cheap but wonderful dinner options as well as plenty of betting assistance (sans actual pony tips) in English from smartly dressed hostesses.
The hostesses provided programs in English and showed how to place bets at the windows. An epic big screen makes any seat a great seat, and was especially helpful and fun when the first three races ended in photo-finishes. It takes some getting used to watching the horses run clockwise on the track, but everything else is the same as stateside. Except for the magnitude of the betting. The guidebooks disclose that more money is wagered at Happy Valley on a given evening than at any other racetrack in the world, but that fact really hits home when one watches the totals for each race climb on the big screen – the first race garnered $80,000,000 HK (over $10 million US), and there are 8 races per night! For cheap, adult evening excitement, Happy Valley should be on your Hong Kong must-do list. They’re off!
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