How Hong Kong’s second racecourse came into being – despite opposition from villagers
The idea behind building a multimillion-dollar racecourse in Sha Tin, in the city’s New Territories, to complement storied Happy Valley track was to ‘push Hong Kong into the forefront of world racing’
“Government approves proposal for second race track”, ran the headline in the South China Morning Post on October 20, 1971.
“The Governor-in-Council yesterday approved in principle the Royal Hongkong Jockey Club’s proposal for an international racecourse in Shatin,” the story continued. “It was Sir David Trench’s last official act before relinquishing his post as Governor of Hongkong.”
The announcement came six years after the Post first reported, in October 1965, that the Jockey Club was seeking to build a second racecourse in Shatin, a proposal that was turned down by the government Racecourses Committee in August 1968 because the estimated cost of HK$168 million was thought too high.
On March 17, 1973, the Post revealed more details under the headline “Second racecourse will seat more than 35,000”.
“It will be built on 230 acres of reclaimed land in Tide Cove, off Ho Tung Lau,” the story continued. “It is estimated that 16 million cubic yards of filling material will be required for the major reclamation. The material will be taken from borrow areas which will later be developed as part of Shatin New Town.”