"Three days of crisp sunshine, the only three days of glorious weather that I have seen in Hongkong, crown the spectacle. Jove looks down propitiously upon the holiday of the exile, and smiles to see that his best happiness is to cheat himself with some semblance of his home."
How changed now, that "exile" touch, with our much quicker means of communication: how different our palatial Jockey Club buildings; and how progressive the Chinese race, former onlookers and now participants as skilled as the European "crack" riders!
It might be noted here that the Hongkong Jockey Club had been organising races for some twelve or thirteen years prior to 1858. Though the Club's records only go back to 1349, it is recorded in the newspapers of the early days that racing commenced in the Colony in 1845, and was well organised by 1846. Prior to that, Hongkong people went over to Macao for race meetings, which were held there in the early Forties. Originally, Arab horses and Indian walers were raced as well as ponies (from Manila), the China pony coming into its own from 1856 onwards. Animals from the Cape, from England and Australia, were also imported. Records of the Annual Race Meetings, almost invariably held in February, go back to 1848, in which year the Ladies' Purse was inaugurated.
The Hongkong Derby was inaugurated in 1873, confined to China pony griffins: and from 1837 until a few years ago, only China ponies were raced in Hongkong.
By kind permission of the concerned, I am able to reproduce to-day a group photograph of the Hongkong Jockey Club officials and Stewards, taken on the occasion of the Annual Race Meeting in February, 1923. Some of the gentlemen in this group have, alas, joined the great majority; have retired Home for good or gone away on transfer; happily, are still in our midst.
The period when this photo was taken, was one of the most memorable in the history of local racing: it was the time when Sir Paul Chater, with his famous "Dahlia" stable, almost swept the board, and the combination of a good pony, and Johnny Hill, the jockey, meant practically a "dead cert."
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"Three days of crisp sunshine, the only three days of glorious weather that I have seen in Hongkong, crown the spectacle. Jove looks down propitiously upon the holiday of the exile, and smiles to see that his best happiness is to cheat himself with some semblance of his home."
How changed now, that "exile" touch, with our much quicker means of communication: how different our palatial Jockey Club buildings; and how progressive the Chinese race, former onlookers and now participants as skilled as the European "crack" riders!
ཝཱ
It might be noted here that the Hongkong Jockey Club had been organising races for some twelve or thirteen years prior to 1858. Though the Club's records only go back to 1349, it is recorded in the newspapers of the early days that racing commenced in the Colony in 1845, and was well organised by 1846. Prior to that, Hongkong people went over to Macao for race meetings, which were held there in the early Forties. Originally, Arab horses and Indian walers were raced as well as ponies (from Manila), the China pony coming into its own from 1856 onwards. Animals from the Cape, from England and Australia, were also imported. Records of the Annual Race Meetings, almost invariably held in February, go back to 1848, in which year the Ladies' Purse was inaugurated.
The Hongkong Derby was inaugurated in 1873, confined to China pony griffins: and from 1837 until a few years ago, only China ponies were raced in Hongkong.
+
By kind permission of the concerned, I am able to reproduce to-day a group photograph of the Hongkong Jockey Club officials and Stewards, taken on the occasion of the Annual Race Meeting in February, 1923. Some of the gentlemen in this group have, alas, joined the great majority; have retired Home for good or gone away on transfer; happily, are still in our midst.
others few,
The period when this photo was taken, was one of the most memorable in the history of local racing: it was the time when Sir Paul Chater, with his famous "Dahlia" stable, almost swept the board, and the combination of a good pony, and Johnny Hill, the jockey, meant practically a "dead cert."
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