New Racing Season

Racing in Hong Kong goes on a Sunday and Wednesday from Sept to June. Sunday it's out in Shatin and Wednesday's it's here in Happy Valley - funny that since we live here. Over the summer months racing stops - which is about 2.5 months holidays for those lucky enough to get them - as it's just SOOOO hot and humid. It still is hot AND humid, and it's likely to continue for the next 6 weeks or so. I just want the temps to drop !! But I digress....

The new racing season has just began. The first race meeting at Shatin was held on Sunday and today or I should say tonight, is the first meeting held at Happy Valley. The photos of the race course are taken from our lounge window.

Before the meeting started...

After starting about race 4 I think - I don't really pay attention....

Being able to take these photos is a real novelty as for most of last year's season our windows were covered. All we could hear was the noise as the horses go up the final straight (in front of the crowd) and the lights shining through the cracks... It's just as impressive being down in the crowds being surrounded by tall apartment building that are all lit up.

As I sit here writing this, the computer is by the window in our bedroom a race is on, I look out the window and can see these horses running, I can hear the crowd going wild, lights start flashing as they near the finish line - I have NO idea what horse is where (as I'm sure you've figured out by now Paul ISN'T home!!) - it really is an impressive sight. From my view point, which I have to say is pretty good, I can even see the horses being paraded round the parade ring before the next race begins.

The darkened area at the bottom of the photos are the sports ground. This whole area gets closed off on race day.

We do have a pretty impressive view - just took about 6 months to be able to see it !!!