This is one of the earliest views of the Happy Valley Racecourse. Fences were erected along the track and multi-story spectator stands were built, forming the first base for racing fans in the colony to practice and watch equine activities.
Filled by a carnival atmosphere during race meetings, Happy Valley was tranquil on most of the days, when no racing event was held. Only a few inhabitants from the Wong Nei Chung Village practiced farming at the region.
Converted from a piece of swamp, the Happy Valley Racecourse in the old days was often affected by flood water due to the valley terrain. Therefore, the racecourse was equipped with flood control facilities, such as nullahs at the infield area, to reduce the threat from flood water.
This splendid grandstand at the Happy Valley Racecourse was built in storey brick and steel to replace its wooden predecessor which was too vulnerable to the wet weather in summer in Happy Valley. Officially opened by the then Governor William Robinson in 1893, the grandstand was hailed by the Governor as “one of the finest of its kind he (the Governor) had ever seen” (The Hong Kong Telegraph, 23 February 1893)
In a century ago, runners at the Happy Valley Racecourse were not thoroughbred, but ponies, which are from the withers shorter than 14.2 hands, or 147 cm. Ponies are excellent working animals because of their outstanding stamina, but offered less excitement in flat racing because of a slower pace. At the time, ponies travelled a long distance along the coast on their own hooves from Mongalia to Hong Kong.
The sign on the rightmost of this photo was the winning post, and the polygonal pavilion next to it was the judge's box, which provided the best view for judging the places of races. A number board was installed next to the judge’s box.
Brought to Hong Kong by the British, the horse racing sport soon appealed to the locals, attracting a large number of local Chinese and foreigners to enjoy the race meeting together. A crowd comprised of the locals and the foreigners could be easily found at the Infield and trackside where were opened to all racegoers to have a close torch to horse racing.
A century ago, Happy Valley flanked by Morrison Hill (left in this photo) and the Leighton Hill (right in this photo) was a remote rural area. The landscape has been changed by urbanisation on the Island. The Morrison Hill was gradually removed starting in the 1920s and the Leighton Hill is occupied by high-rise residential, giving the Happy Valley Racecourse a unique landscape of racecourse in the city.
Numerous pictures show that tracks in Happy Valley were paved to be an oval shape, but this photo suggests that there was once a straight runway connected to the bend at northeast (known as Hong Kong Football Club bend today). According to records, races for 3/4 miles were started there in the 1930s.
A Number Board was installed near the winning post, telling spectators about horses entering the race and announcing the result of a race and places of runners.
This was the Happy Valley Racecourse and its surrounding scenery in the 1950s. The foreground shows a tram running on the Wong Nai Chung Road towards the other end of the racecourse where the old Wong Nai Chung Village was located. The racecourse was accessed by trams since the very early 20th century.
This is a panoramic view of Happy Valley, Causeway Bay and the Victoria Harbour in the 1950s, clearly showing that the Happy Valley Racecourse was surrounded by residential blocks. The totalisator, the white object at the eastern part of the racecourse and the Black Rock at the western part were the landmarks of Happy Valley at the time.
Grandstands which are still be used in present can be seen in this photo taken in 1963. Most of the parts of the old Grandstands built in 1929 were demolished for new high rise blocks. The Members Stand I in the middle was finished in 1955 and the connected Public Stand I and II on the right were opened in 1960 and 1961 respectively.
This photo shows a fully packed three-storey members' stand. Like the old stands forty years ago, this one had flags flying on its roof, which was not seen after 1964. The stand itself was demolished in May the same year and was replaced by a taller structure in 1965.
This photo shows clearly the public stand on the left, the main members' stand and the second members' stand, which had replaced a low structure. The gap between the stands was bridged in 1981 as the public stand extension. The back of the totalisator board is clearly visible, so is the playground in the infield.
