Horse racing (horse betting) can be said to be one of the most important leisure and entertainment activities for Hong Kong citizens. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

Horse racing originated in the United Kingdom and was introduced to Hong Kong as it was a British colony in its early years.

In 1890, horse racing began to be held in Hong Kong, and since then this entertainment has taken on the meaning of gambling, and horse racing is also known as horse betting.

In the early days, horse racing was only a recreational activity for "foreigners" and a small number of upper-class Hong Kong people, until after World War II, a large number of high-class figures in the horse racing circles in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Han and other places in the mainland emigrated to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's horse racing also developed rapidly.

In 1971, horse racing in Hong Kong underwent a professional reform, and the new Sha Tin Racecourse was built, which revolutionized the way betting was wagered and the Jockey Training School was established, and horse racing entered the life of the general public in Hong Kong and flourished.

The unique horse racing (horse betting) culture has since become one of the famous symbols of Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, there are more than 2 million horse fans, accounting for 1/3 of the total population of Hong Kong, every Wednesday race day (Happy Valley Racecourse) and weekend race day (Sha Tin Racecourse), 55,000 seats (Sha Tin 80,000) Happy Valley Racecourse is full, countless horse fans hold the horse scripture, bet on buying horses, has become a unique scenery in Hong Kong, and even become a popular attraction in Hong Kong tourism.

Hong Kong's horse racing industry is extremely well-developed and extremely rare in the world.

According to statistics, every horse racing day, the amount of bets on horses in the Jockey Club reaches 6-1 billion Hong Kong dollars, and the annual betting amount in a horse racing season is more than 800-100 billion Hong Kong dollars!

It is for this reason that the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), which organises horse racing and betting events and manages a range of facilities in Hong Kong, has a unique position and great influence in Hong Kong. It has become a supporting part of Hong Kong's social system.

The Club is not a government department, is not a social organisation and is not a private for-profit company. It does not belong to any investors, has no shareholders, and has no profit requirements, and all operating surpluses are given back to the Hong Kong community.

Someone once joked that there are three institutions that govern Hong Kong: one is the Hong Kong government, of course, and the other is HSBC, Hong Kong's largest bank, the Hong Kong dollar banknote on the market, 8 out of 10 are issued by HSBC, and the other is the Jockey Club.

The Jockey Club is not only the largest tax payer in Hong Kong, with more than HK$10 billion in betting duty, betting duty on lotteries and profits tax paid annually, accounting for more than 10% of the total tax revenue of the HKSAR government in the current financial year.

The Jockey Club is also the largest charity in Hong Kong: every year the Club contributes about HK$1 billion of its after-tax surplus to charitable trusts to hospitals, homes for the elderly, schools and other arts and cultural organisations, and it is estimated that in the past 10 years, the Club has allocated more than HK$10 billion to charity.

It can be said that in Hong Kong, the significance of horse racing has long gone beyond entertainment to become an important cornerstone of rich social welfare.

With such a huge influence, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (abbreviated as the Jockey Club, known as the Hong Kong Jockey Club from 1960 to 1997) has naturally become the most prestigious and top private club in Hong Kong.

The Club's members, who are overwhelmingly members of considerable social status in Hong Kong, are divided into different tiers known as Racing Members, Full-Paying Members and Corporate Members, and above them, there are also high-ranking Members.

The Club currently has more than 24,000 members, of which 200 are Selective Members with the right to nominate candidates to join the Club. The Club's 200 or so members, who are elected by the Club's Board of Directors, are some of the Club's most prominent leaders.

Those who can become members of the selection are the top richest people in the city, as well as high-ranking officials of the Hong Kong government, and social elites. These people also make up the so-called upper class at the top of Hong Kong.

As one of Hong Kong's richest people (the fifth largest in Hong Kong's traditional four families), Kwok is a natural member of the Club.

Kwok Konghua's chosen location to meet Lin Feng was located on the 7th floor of Sha Tin Racecourse, in the Jockey Club Selection Members' Box enjoyed by Kwok Hok Nian.

Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories is one of the largest racecourses in the world, and is built on reclamation of the sea, so it is close to the coast and has beautiful scenery.

The spectator seats in the two stands can accommodate up to 80,000 people to watch the horse races.

The open-air grandstand is the public stand, and the more distinguished guests are, the higher the floor: the Club Chairman, Directors, Honorary Directors and Elected Members are located on the 7th floor, the owner's wing is located on the 5th and 6th floors, the members who are watching the races are seated on the 4th floor, and those who do not have a reservation are on the 1st and 3rd floors, including the horse debut circle in the open field.

Guo Konghua's choice of this place is also to show his respect for Lin Feng - being able to watch the horse races in the selection box is itself an intangible identity embodiment.

Moreover, horse racing is such entertainment and leisure, so that everyone can communicate easily.

…………

Lin Feng had been to Hong Kong many times in his previous life, but he had never seen horse racing, and when he and Ye Weiyu came to Sha Tin Racecourse by car, they were stunned by the spectacular crowd in front of them!

Although I have long heard that Hong Kong's horse racing culture is very prosperous, Hong Kong people betting on horses is a major spectacle.

But the spectacle of tens of thousands of people gathered together is still staggering.

Lin Feng unconsciously remembered the scene when he watched the top ten matches of the Chinese team at Shenyang Wulihe Stadium......

The personnel of the Guo Group, who had been waiting at the entrance of the members, respectfully led Lin Feng and Ye Weiyu to the 7th floor.

Guo Konghua stood in the public area outside the elevator and waited.

Guo Konghua is tall and handsome, about 178 tall, with capable short hair, wearing a light gray casual suit, snow-white shirt, and smiling, with a unique temperament that blends traditional Chinese culture with American life experience.

Well, it is very similar to the temperament of the children of wealthy families in Lin Feng's resemblance.

Unlike Lin Feng, a self-made billionaire, the Guo Group has been inherited for 4 generations since Guo Henian's father (Guo Konghua is Guo He's son in old age, and his eldest brother Guo Kongcheng's son is not young). This kind of wealthy disciple who has received elite education since childhood, whether it is temperament, conversation, or etiquette, is very outstanding.

And Guo Konghua is not like some children of wealthy families in Hong Kong, who loves Yepu and has a flashy and chaotic private life.

After graduating from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in economics, he returned to Hong Kong to study and work for the Kuok Group. According to Lin Feng's vague impression, many years later, he will become the chairman of Kerry Holdings, taking over the family's business in the mainland.

"Lin Dong, hello, I'm Guo Konghua", Guo Konghua stepped forward to shake hands with Lin Feng, and actually spoke Mandarin.

It can be seen that Guo Henian is very attentive in cultivating his youngest son.

Perhaps at this time, he already had the idea of handing over the business of the Kerry Group in the mainland to his younger son......

Lin Feng was thinking crankily while greeting Guo Konghua.

"Hello Mr. Guo, thank you for the invitation...... This is my girlfriend, Ye Weiyu. Lin Feng shook hands with him with a smile and introduced him to Ye Weiyu beside him.

"Miss Ye is good! Miss Ye is really as rumored, she is peerless, and she and Lin Dong are a match made in heaven...... Lin Dong is so blessed!" Guo Konghua is very good at talking, and this compliment made Ye Weiyu smile like a flower.

"Lin Dong, Miss Ye, please come here. Guo Konghua invited the two into the box.

Lin Feng walked all the way, looking at the surroundings.

The 7th floor, which belongs exclusively to the Club's directors and members, seems mysterious to outsiders, but in fact the decoration is not luxurious, and the soft color and simple and elegant shape of the bean paste-colored leather sofa on one side even looks a little old.

However, the trophy display case on one side, the pastel paintings of British horse racing on both sides of the corridor, the painted clothes of the horse owners painted on the central pillar, and the fresh flower arrangements carefully prepared on the desk still remind people of the identity of the people who come and go to this place.

The public spaces also have betting machines and counters, but the biggest difference between this and the downstairs stands is the surprising silence and the faint aroma of pure air. The balcony outside the wing room is also a stand, but the audience seems to be listening to the opera rather than watching the game – whether it's their dress or demeanor.

Lin Feng's eyes froze, and he saw a familiar face, and his footsteps paused slightly.