Hong Kong Jockey Club. Sha Tin | Horse Racing Free Tips

The Year of the Rabbit got off to a racing start for the Hong Kong Jockey Club as its Lunar New Year meeting pulled in HK$2.06 billion (US$255 million) in bets–the biggest daily take since the city's return to Chinese rule in 1997, the South China Morning Post reported.

Punters wagered across the 11 races at Sha Tin on Tuesday and, although the take was beaten by a distance by the record HK$2.54 billion gambled in June 1997, it was a healthy 10.1% increase on last year's event.

“We are absolutely delighted with today's race meeting. The atmosphere was really fantastic and it brought back what we always felt–that Lunar New Year is a very special race meeting,” Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

Almost 80,000 people clicked through the Sha Tin turnstiles and the official crowd stood at 84,394–79,354 at Sha Tin and 5,040 watching from Happy Valley–the biggest turnout since the 2019 Lunar New Year races.

The Lunar New Year card drew a bigger crowd than the prestigious Longines Hong Kong International Races last month, with fans shoulder to shoulder in front of a packed grandstand after they flocked to see a pre-races performance by Cantopop star Joey Yung Cho-yee.

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The 2020/2021 racing season in Hong Kong concluded July 14, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club reporting turnover in excess of HK$130 billion (£12.1b/€14.2b/US$16.7b) for the first time.

A total of 88 meetings–one more than last season–were conducted between September and July, with no programs lost to the coronavirus. The HKJC staged 835 races at Sha Tin and Happy Valley Racecourses, and took 206 races from overseas for simulcasting purposes. Total turnover was HK$136 billion, representing a 12.1% increase over last season. The HKJC is the single largest taxpayer in Hong Kong, and the betting duty in 2020/2021 was HK$13.7 billion, a bump of 13.6% year over year. Handle on local races reached HK$129.3 billion, an improvement of 11% on last year, while betting on overseas races totaled HK$7 billion, a healthy hike of 37.7%.

“Given the circumstances confronting the Club, our overall season racing turnover of more than HK$136 billion is outstanding,” said HKJC Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “The growth in turnover is testament to the quality of our product and the support of our customers. To achieve these types of figures underpins the importance of horse racing to Hong Kong and its people. We are also delighted with how popular our simulcasts are with Hong Kong customers and we are pleased that we will offer more next season.

He added, “We are delighted to have been able to again complete a full season with a clear focus of ensuring racing to continue while upholding the principle of protecting the public health and safety of our employees, stakeholders and the public. The remarkable season turnover has enabled us to contribute more for the betterment of our society.”

Racing resumes in Hong Kong in early September.

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