Sha Tin Racecourse

Hong Kong Sha Tin Racecourse

Sha Tin Racecourse (Sha Tin Racecourse) is Hong Kong’s second horse racing venue, located in the eastern part of Fo Tan in the Sha Tin District of the New Territories. It was constructed and is managed by –, and officially opened on October 7, 1978. The racecourse has two tracks—turf and dirt. The turf track is 30.5 meters wide, with a circumference of approximately 1,900 meters, and a capacity of 85,000 spectators. The facility is world-class in standard and ranks among the top horse racing venues in Asia. Today, it hosts numerous international competitions annually, attracting elite horses and jockeys from around the globe.

Sha Tin Racecourse has two grandstands: the Members’ Stand and the Public Stand. The Members’ Stand accommodates members and their guests, while the Public Stand is open to the general public at an admission fee of HK$10. The stands feature – lobbies, dining facilities, and the Members’ Stand also includes private boxes for members and horse owners. The venue houses the world’s widest color video screen, measuring 70.4 meters in length—equivalent in area to 4,500 stacked 52 cm televisions—displaying comprehensive race information and results. Adjacent to the stands, the Sha Tin Clubhouse provides dining and recreational amenities for members. Other facilities at the racecourse include stables, as well as dormitories for jockeys, trainers, and staff, plus a comprehensive building for use by the Jockey Club.

The racecourse enjoys convenient transportation. The Racecourse Station on the MTR East Rail Line is connected to the Sha Tin Racecourse stands via a covered pedestrian footbridge. On race days, various bus routes also provide direct access, and there is designated space within the venue for red minibuses and urban taxis to pick up or drop off passengers.

Designed with reference to world-class racecourses, Sha Tin’s tracks follow the traditional British clockwise direction, similar in layout to those of Belmont Park and Santa Anita in the United States, offering spectators broader viewing angles. At the heart of the racecourse lies the scenic Penfold Park, providing a recreational space for the public.

History

Before the construction of Sha Tin Racecourse, Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island was the city’s only horse racing venue. As horse racing became more popular among the general public, races often sold out, indicated by the raising of “red flags.” In 1964, the Jockey Club began considering the development of a new racecourse to support the sport’s growth. In October 1971, the government gave principle approval for the Jockey Club to build a racecourse in Sha Tin. Construction commenced in full in December 1973.

Building the racecourse required land reclamation from Sha Tin Hoi, which was the largest single land reclamation project in Hong Kong at the time. A total of 16 million tons of earth were excavated, leveling four hills in Sha Tin to create 250 acres of new land. Reclamation work began in March 1974 and proceeded at an extraordinary pace. At the peak of construction, over 700 workers utilized more than 400 trucks to continuously transport fill material to the waterfront, with one truck dumping its load into Sha Tin Hoi every 7.5 to 8 seconds. In June 1976, pile driving began for the first stable.

Eventually, Sha Tin Racecourse opened on schedule on October 7, 1978, with the then-Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Murray MacLehose, presiding over the inauguration ceremony and cutting the ribbon on the turf track, followed by the day’s first race. Initially, the stands could accommodate 35,000 spectators. As attendance continued to grow between 1982 and 1984, the Jockey Club quickly undertook expansion. In November 1985, the second stand was completed, bringing the total seating capacity to 85,000. Stable capacity also increased in response to demand, and by 2010, there were 20 stables housing 1,260 horses. To enhance the quality of races, the Jockey Club added a series of advanced facilities, including quarantine stables, a horse hospital, a racing laboratory, a riverside training track, Olympic-standard stables, and a riding path.

In recent years, the Jockey Club has continued to upgrade Sha Tin Racecourse’s facilities. On August 31, 2003, the world’s widest high-definition color video screen was launched. On November 14, 2004, a new horse presentation ring with a retractable roof was completed, offering racegoers greater convenience and comfort. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when Hong Kong hosted the equestrian events, the nearby Hong Kong Sports Institute was converted into a main competition venue. A new riding path was built in Penfold Park, and new Olympic stables were constructed next to the Sports Institute. The Olympic torch also passed through Sha Tin Racecourse during its relay.

In 2012, – renovated the Public – Lobby, adding two giant TV screens—one claimed to be among the largest indoor color screens in any racecourse worldwide. One screen measures 25 meters long and 1.3 meters high, the other 15 meters long and 1.3 meters high, with a combined area equivalent to 13 ping-pong tables. Both screens display full HD signals, allowing racegoers to view up to four horses simultaneously and offering six different camera angles to enhance the viewing experience. Additionally, a new tablet system was installed at the back of the Public – Lobby.