Happy Valley Racecourse is one of two racecourses and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong. It is located in the eponymous district of Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island, just off Wong Nai Cheung Road and Morrison Hill Road.
The racecourse was built in 1845 to cater for the British need for one of Hong Kong's favourite sporting games. At the start of construction, the terrain was a mosquito-infested wetland, but its flat plain was ideal for a racecourse. To make way for the racecourse, the Hong Kong government banned rice farming in the surrounding villages.
The first race was held in December 1846. Over time, horse racing became increasingly popular with the locals.
On 26 February 1918, a major fire broke out at the racecourse, killing about 600 people. The tragedy was caused by the overturning of a temporary grandstand, which fell on food tents and braziers.
The renovation of the racecourse in 1995 made it a world-class facility. Races are usually held on Wednesday evenings and are open to the public; the seven-storey grandstands can accommodate around 55,000 spectators. In addition to the race tracks, the structure includes a stadium for football, hockey and rugby, which is operated by the Cultural Leisure Department.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its archive and museum, which are housed on the first floor of the complex, were founded in 1995 and opened on 18 October 1996. The museum has four exhibition rooms. The first is called "The Genesis of Horses" - it shows the migration routes of the animals from northern China to Hong Kong. The second room is dedicated to the history of Hong Kong's second racecourse, Sha Tin. The next room explains the anatomy and features of the animals and exhibits the backbone of a horse, a three-time champion of Hong Kong. The Fourth Gallery hosts a variety of themed exhibitions and is also the venue for charitable organisations and community projects supported by the Jockey Club.
There is a cinema and gift shop attached to the establishment.
