Hong Kong and Macau Horse Racing Season Kicks Off with ‌Record-Breaking Attendance

Release date: 2024-09-08 18:22

Guangdong

The highly anticipated horse ​racing season⁤ in Hong ⁤Kong and Macau has officially begun, attracting a record-breaking crowd of over 47,000 visitors on ⁣its opening​ day. The​ Jockey Club reported a significant increase in betting amounts, reaching ‍nearly‌ 1.33 billion⁢ yuan, an 8.6% ‌rise from last year’s figures.

A New Record for⁤ the Opening Day

The Sha Tin Racecourse hosted ⁣ten exciting races, with the⁤ first one commencing at 1 pm. Enthusiastic ⁢fans arrived two ⁣hours prior to the event, eager to secure their ⁢spots and⁤ kick-start their luck. Ms. Feng, a local fan, expressed her excitement, ‌saying, “I’m happy if I win a few dozen ⁣dollars. If I lose, I’ll treat it as a charity. It doesn’t matter, just have‍ fun.”

Tourists Flock to Experience the Horse Racing Culture

The​ event ​also drew in numerous tourists, including Mr. Zhang from Shandong, who ​stated, “This is ⁢my first time, and I want to feel the horse racing ​culture here in Hong Kong and⁣ experience the passion of horse racing.” Ms. Wang, a Malaysian tourist, added, “We grew​ up watching‌ TVB. Some ⁣people believe that Hong Kong people⁢ like ‍to bet ⁢on horses. They will read horse ‍racing books, bet on horses, and watch ⁤horse racing, ⁤so‍ we came ‍to see it.”

Diversified Experiences and Animation Collaborations

The racecourse offered various stalls, providing‌ a⁣ unique experience for attendees. For the⁢ first time, the event collaborated with ⁣animation works, attracting tourists like Mr. Wu from⁤ Guangzhou, who exclaimed, “I’m quite excited and happy.‍ I like this ‍theme. It’s my first time ⁣to‍ see ⁤real ⁤horse racing and feel the atmosphere of the scene.”

Chief Executive ‌Cup and ​Suggestions from Fans

Chief Executive ‌John ‍Lee ‍and the newly re-elected ‌Chairman of ⁤the Jockey Club, Li Zihou, presided over the opening ⁢ceremony. The third ‌race, the‍ Chief Executive Cup, saw Purton ride “Jia Ying Gao Sheng” to victory. Fans offered suggestions⁢ for improvement, including Mr. ⁢Liang’s proposal to provide more discounts and distribute coupons, while ⁣Mr.⁢ Ho recommended inviting more singers and⁤ stars ‌to perform and⁤ optimizing the audience seats.

Upcoming Night Race at Happy Valley Racecourse

The first night race of the new season is​ scheduled to take place at ‍Happy Valley Racecourse ‍on Wednesday.