And they're off.....

I stepped out to the Happy Valley Race Course in Hong Kong on Sunday. It was to be my fist day at the races... I had checked the web site the night before to confirm the starting time... and took a cab out to the track after a leisurely stroll though Hong Kong park. I showed up and low and behold it was "expat" day. which meant that for 25 HK dollars ($3 us), I was granted access to the members betting area and seating and supposedly access to the riders and stable area. Hmm, that sounds cool, right?

I get out in to the stands and the place is quite full. There's a beer tent and a hot food tent, sweet I think to myself. As I look around and everyone seems to be focused on there race papers, a listing of the horses that will run that day and what their stats are. I look up at the big monitor in the field and see the horses warming up and a score board of the last race and its pay-outs. It all feels pretty authentic. Something does seem to be missing though but I can't yet put my finger on it. The score board informs me that it's about 6 minutes to the next race (#7). As I'm drinking my beer and looking at my race sheet (a photo copied English version of the day's program), I begin to make some sense of the stats; this horse has won before in a similar race, that horse has placed but never won, etc. So I pick, in my mind, a top choice. I check the jumbo-tron while sipping my frosty cold adult beverage and think to myself, I've got this, why don't I place a bet? Nothing large (just in case I'm way off) but something to get the feeling.
Inside, at the betting counter I realize that I don't know how to place a bet. So, I ask the girl at the information counter and she helps me fill out the wager card. 10 HK dollars ($1.50 us) on "One World" to Win, in the 7th. Sounds like I know what I'm doing huh? The race clocks continues to count down meanwhile 1 min, 0 min... I anxiously get my bet in just be fore start and step back out track side to watch the ponies” as they say.


The race begins and I start grinning as the excitements builds. The chatter track side is loud and emotional. There's an obvious buzz in the air. Up on the screen I follow my horse as he's making his way up from a few places back. I start to get concerned though. I've not seen any horses. I can see them running on the screen, but I can't actually hear of see them anywhere. One World continues his quest and edges up from second to win the race by at a least a neck length. Sweet, I've just won my first bet on a horse race. I kinda' like this feeling. But, still no horses. What's up with that? As I return to the betting window to collect my newly acquired fortune, I ask the clerk and find out that they are racing today, just not here. They're racing at the “other” hong kong race course, up in the new territories, (about an hour from this course). What? I can't believe all these folks are out here, the beer garden, “expat” day... and there's no race actually happening at this location.

Wow, I guess the Hong Kongese really enjoy horse racing. So, I had some beef curry with rice and another beer and as the next race started I took off back towards the hotel. Overall, I had a great time, my pay out was 3 – 1 about $4 us and I was only slightly disappointed that I was that the wrong course. I'd go again I suppose, If I do, I think I'll up my bet to at least $2.50.