Sha Tin Racecourse

Sha 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.

Sha Tin Racecourse
沙田馬場
Overview of Sha Tin Racecourse in May 2009
LocationSha Tin District,  Hong Kong
Owned byHong Kong Jockey Club
Date opened7 October 1978 (1978-10-07)
Capacity85,000
Course typeThoroughbred
Notable racesGroup One races:
Hong Kong Derby
Queen Elizabeth II Cup
Champions Mile
Hong Kong International Races
Hong Kong Triple Crown
Official website
Sha Tin Racecourse
Southeast Panorama over the Sha Tin horse race course in October 2009
Traditional Chinese沙田馬場
Simplified Chinese沙田马场
Racecourse Concourse in June 2014
Covered Parade Ring in June 2014
Public Betting Hall at Level 1 in June 2014

Penfold Park is encircled by the track, and the Hong Kong Sports Institute is located immediately south of the property.

Michael Jackson planned to perform at the racecourse on his Dangerous World Tour, which was the start of the third leg, but was cancelled due to the conflict of the racing season.

History

It was built in 1978 (under the administration of Sir David Akers-Jones, the then-Secretary for the New Territories) on reclaimed land and is the larger of the two tracks in Hong Kong.

The course has 474 races per season including:

On 9 September 2007, the Sha Tin track opened for the 2007 season with an opening day record of about 60,000. Chief Secretary Henry Tang struck the ceremonial gong. The Hong Kong Jockey Club collected US$106 million in bets (the highest since 2001). Children of horse owners were admitted amid protest of local anti-gambling groups. Sunny Power, booted by Howard Cheng won in the 1,200 metre dash.[1]

Features

Originally built with a 35,000-capacity grandstand, it now has two grandstands with a total capacity of 85,000. It also has 20 stables for a capacity of 1,260 horses.

Other features include:

  • Equine Hospital
  • Racing Laboratory
  • Equine Swimming Pool
  • Riverside Gallop

Track Specifications:

  • Turf
    • Straight: 430 metres (470 yd)
    • Circumference: 1.899 kilometres (1.180 mi)
  • All-Weather Track (Dirt)
    • Straight: 380 metres (420 yd)
    • Circumference: 1.560 kilometres (0.969 mi)

Major races
Group One
Group Two
Group Three
Listed Race

Transport

The racecourse is served by Racecourse station of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR). The station is only used on racing days. There are also several bus routes. One of the racecourse bus routes, KMB 872, had a deadly bus crash.

References
  1. ChannelNewsAsia.com, HK's Sha Tin race course opens to huge crowds
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