Horse racing was brought to Hong Kong in the 1840s by the British, and it wasn’t long before it became central to the city. These days it’s by far the most popular spectator sport in Hong Kong: in the 2018/19 season, the city’s two racecourses in Happy Valley  and Sha Tin  had an attendance of 2.21 million and saw HK$124.8 billion worth of bets made.

Racing is so ingrained in Hong Kong culture that in the ’80s, it became a symbol of a smooth transfer of sovereignty when China’s late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping assured concerned Hongkongers that ‘the horse racing will continue, the dancing will stay’.

It doesn’t matter if they’ve bet their shirts or they’re just spectators: racing keeps Hongkongers on the edge of their seats. You don’t need to refer to the racing calendar to know when the next race will be held – the spectators who flood to the track and the enthusiasts who gather in the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s off-course betting branches will tell you.

The sport is a profound subject of interest in the city, and picking the winning horse is not just a matter of luck. Long before they place a bet, serious fans pore over every detail in newspaper race day supplements: the race distance, past performances of horses and jockeys alike, and the condition of the horses and the track itself. In addition to winning big money, earning bragging rights among fellow enthusiasts is the ultimate honour – what could be more rewarding for Hongkongers, who pride themselves on being smart and money-minded?

It wasn’t always a slick affair: in the ’80s a concerted effort was made to boost the quality of both horses and races. That meant that the city’s fixtures were upgraded to Group 1 status, so they could attract international talent and attention. Star horses like River Verdon and Fairy King Prawn made expeditions overseas to claim international race titles, putting the city firmly on the map. And Hong Kong gallopers like 2019 Horse of the Year, Beauty Generation, have made their mark on the world stage by fending off mighty international rivals on home turf.