Sha Tin Racecourse

{{Short description|Racecourse in Hong Kong}}

{{Use Hong Kong English|date=October 2019}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Infobox Racecourse

| Name = Sha Tin Racecourse
沙田馬場

|Image= 250px|Caption=Overview of Sha Tin Racecourse in May 2009{{Infobox mapframe|tyep=shape|zoom=14|frame-width=250}}

|Location=Sha Tin District, {{HKG}}

|Owner=Hong Kong Jockey Club

|Opened= {{Start date and age|df=yes|1978|10|7}}

|Capacity=85,000

|CourseType = Thoroughbred

|Website=http://www.hkjc.com/home/english/index.asp

|NotableRaces = Group One races:
Hong Kong Derby
Queen Elizabeth II Cup
Champions Mile
Hong Kong International Races
Hong Kong Triple Crown

}}

{{Chinese

| pic = Southeast Panorama over the Sha Tin Horse Race course Hong Kong.JPG

| picsize = 252px

| piccap = Southeast Panorama over the Sha Tin horse race course in October 2009

| t = 沙田馬場

| j = Saa1 tin4 maa5 coeng4

| y = Sā tìhn máh cheùhng

| ci = {{IPA|yue|sáː tʰɪ̏n ma̬ː tsʰœ̏ŋ|}}

| p = Shātián Mǎchǎng

| myr = Shātyán mǎchǎng

| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|sh|a|1|t|ian|2|-|m|a|3|ch|ang|3}}

| s = 沙田马场

}}

File:Sha Tin Racecourse Concourse 201406.jpg

File:Sha Tin Racecourse Covered Parade Ring 2014.jpg

File:Sha Tin Racecourse Level 1 Public Betting Hall 2014.jpg

Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Penfold Park is encircled by the track, and the Hong Kong Sports Institute is located immediately south of the property.

Michael Jackson planned to perform at the racecourse on his Dangerous World Tour, which was the start of the third leg, but it did not materialize due to the dates conflicting with the racing season.

History

The racecourse was built in 1978 (under the administration of Sir David Akers-Jones, the then-Secretary for the New Territories) on reclaimed land and is the larger of the two tracks in Hong Kong.

The course has 474 races per season including:

On 9 September 2007, the Sha Tin track opened for the 2007 season with an opening day record of about 60,000. Chief Secretary Henry Tang struck the ceremonial gong. The Hong Kong Jockey Club collected US$106 million in bets (the highest since 2001). Children of horse owners were admitted amid protest of local anti-gambling groups. Sunny Power, booted by Howard Cheng won in the 1,200 metre dash.[http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/298977/1/.html ChannelNewsAsia.com, HK's Sha Tin race course opens to huge crowds]

Features

Originally built with a 35,000-capacity grandstand, it now has two grandstands with a total capacity of 85,000. It also has 20 stables for a capacity of 1,260 horses.

Other features include:

  • Equine Hospital
  • Racing Laboratory
  • Equine Swimming Pool
  • Riverside Gallop

Track Specifications:

  • Turf
  • Straight: {{convert|430|m|yd}}
  • Circumference: {{convert|1.899|km|mi}}
  • All-Weather Track (Dirt)
  • Straight: {{convert|380|m|yd}}
  • Circumference: {{convert|1.560|km|mi}}

Major races

; Group One

;Group Two

;Group Three

; Listed Race

Transport

The racecourse is served by Racecourse station of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR). The station is only used on racing days. There are also several bus routes. One of the racecourse bus routes, KMB 872, had a deadly bus crash.

References

{{Reflist}}