Come on Lucky #3!!

Bradley and I at Happy Valley Racecourse after our wins!

I know this post is a little late, but I still think it's worth mentioning. Last Wednesday evening my friend, Bradley, brought me with him to the Happy Valley Racecourse for a little horse racing (and wagering). The race track is part of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which (according to Wikipedia) is the largest taxpaying organization in Hong Kong, as well as the largest private donor of charity funds, contributing an average of over HK$1 billion (approximately US$130 million) annually over the past ten years.

Gambling is totally okay when it's for charity, right?

It was my first time at the race track and I was completely clueless about the horses competing. Some people pick horses with the funniest names to win, but I didn't even know that much. Brad's friends tried to explain the boards to me and what my odds of winning would be if I picked one horse over another, but it all sounded like gibberish. I settled on "Quinella Place" with horses #4 and #6. Basically, if #4 or #6 had placed in the top 4 then I would have won (the amount of money varies). I also bought a ticket for "Place" on horse #3, meaning if horse #3 placed in the top 3 (as long as there are 7 or more declared starters) then I would win... AND I DID WIN!! It was only $34 HKD, but I was still very pleased! (I bet $30 total though and lost on Quinella Place, so technically I was only up $4, but I pride myself on knowing when to quit). ;) It was a very fun experience. It's definitely on my "To Do Again" list.

Hong Kong Betting Guide


My Quinella Place ticket (I had to cash in the other one for my winnings).


Happy Valley Racecourse... THE place to be on Wednesday nights.