The Hong Kong Jockey Club Archives
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  • Happy Valley Racecourse, 1865
    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.
    • 1865
  • Happy Valley Racecourse, c. 1870
    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.
    • c.1870
  • Happy Valley Racecourse, 1880
    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.
    • 1880
  • Grandstand at the Happy Valley Racecourse, c. 1890s
    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)
    • c.1890s
  • Rounding the Bend, Happy Valley Racecourse, 1894
    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.
    • 1894
  • The Judge's Pagoda Standing at the Happy Valley Racecourse, 1890
    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.
    • 1890
  • A race day at the Happy Valley Racecourse, 1908
    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.
    • 1908
  • The Happy Valley Racecourse and the Victoria Harbour, c. 1910s
    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.
    • c.1910s
  • A Rear View of Runners, Happy Valley Racecourse, c. 1910s
    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.
    • c.1910s