Sha Tin Racecourse occupies 70 hectares of reclaimed land to the northeast of Sha Tin town centre in the New Territories region of Hong Kong. The racecourse was originally opened in 1978, but underwent a series of major improvements, including the world’s first retractable roof above the parade ring, in 2004. Sha Tin Racecourse stages a total of 51 fixtures between September and June, generally on Saturday, but occasionally on Sunday and public holidays. Today, Sha Tin Racecourse is famous as the home of four Group 1 races, the Hong Kong Cup, the Hong Kong Mile, the Hong Kong Vase and the Hong Kong Sprint, all of which are run on the same day in December.
Course Characteristics
The turf track at Sha Tin is a right-handed, galloping oval, just under 9½ furlongs in circumference, with a 2-furlong home straight. The dirt track, which runs inside the turf track, is 7¾ furlongs in circumference with a home straight just under 2 furlongs in length. Both tracks have a safety limit of 14 runners.
Track Facts
The Hong Kong Cup, inaugurated in 1988, was Hong Kong’s first international race.
The Diamond Vision screen at Sha Tin is the longest television display in the world.
The Chinese New Year meeting at Sha Tin, usually held on the third day of the Chinese New Year, is the most popular horse racing event of the year in Hong Kong.