Hong Kong Racing Museum showcases the celebrated trainers, jockeys and horses that have thrilled the crowds at Happy Valley over the years. The British wasted no time in setting up the racetrack – the earliest photo on display, depicting a turf oval on a bare plain hemmed in by hills, was taken in 1865.
The most important event in the history of the Happy Valley Racecourse – individual winnings notwithstanding – was the terrible fire in 1918 that killed almost 600 people. The Race Course Fire Memorial pays tribute to the victims.