I was a virgin horse race goer until last Sunday. To be honest it's something I have had little interest in and if I was being more honest - I thought it was not a place a girl like myself should be frequenting. A bit too common for me! (pause for sniggering) All my preconceptions were dispelled as soon as I got out of the taxi at Sha Tin Racecourse and was directed to Cathy Pacific's 'The Wing' on the fifth floor of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's number one Grandstand. I can only compare it to a five star hotel with the added touch and extra interest of gambling on the 11 races that day, which was Members Day. Hong Kong Jockey Club is richer than the Hong Kong Government. Not one to make generalizations but it has to be said that the Chinese love a bet!
I booked us into The Wing which meant we had the pick of a never ending international buffet and were seated in comfort and luxury at our table with an uninterrupted view of the racecourse through a floor-to -ceiling glass wall. I think I would have been happy just to stuff myself silly on the buffet but it was so easy to put bets on the races and, obviously, made the whole afternoon so much more interesting.
We began to study the form (as they say). I scanned the programme which also had step by step instructions explaining just how exactly we could part with our money and place a bet. It seemed quite straightforward and the first bet for the first race was placed. We put money on the favorite to win. It won! We won! Wow. This is easy I thought and, so, thrilled by the easy of increasing the amount of cash in my purse we continued to studiously study the horses, jockeys, form, trainer and weight of each runner and rider and believe it or not we picked the winner of the first six races. Beginners luck or what?
My husband was looking quite smug by this time and although he got a few top tips from a regular and experienced gambler, between us we had managed to place bets and were lucky on seven out of eleven races. We came home with more money than we went out with.
A word of warning though, all around the racecourse were signs as below:-
Warning signs
These signs can indicate that you have or may be developing a problem with gambling:
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Do you think about gambling everyday?
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Do you ever hide your gambling from people close to you?
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Do you ever feel guilty after gambling?
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Do you ever borrow money to gamble?
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Do you let bills go unpaid to get money for gambling?
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Do you chase your losses?
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Do you frequently gamble until the last dollar has gone?
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Do you frequently try to stop or cut down but find you can't?
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Do you find gambling affects your work or family life?
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Do you argue with others about the amount you gamble?
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Do you often gamble for longer than planned?
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Do you often gamble more than you can afford?
Guidelines for responsible gambling
Responsible gamblers keep gambling as entertainment by following these guidelines:
- Set and stick to a budget
- Only gamble what you can afford to lose
- Don't borrow to gamble
- Balance gambling with other leisure activities
- Don't chase losses
If you think you have a problem with gambling, or know someone close to you who might have a problem, contact:
| Hotline : 1834 633 |
Operation Hours of Gambling Counselling Centres and Hotline
The two new gambling counselling centres commissioned by the Government commenced their services today (February 1). The two new centres will operate the gambling counselling hotline (1834 633) with the existing two centres so that more problem gamblers and other people affected by gambling can seek assistance. The gambling counselling hotline will be managed by professional counsellors during opening hours of the four centres, and until 2am next day from Monday to Saturday (except public holidays).
Obviously it is a serious issue for some.
The race track itself is very exciting with cheering and shouting going on as soon as the horses are let out of the gates. The paddock is the place where the gorgeous animals are displayed before they go out to race. This is pristinely clean and a very popular area with hundreds of punters eying up the condition of the horses before they place their bets. Everywhere there are places to place bets. It is easy. There are booths with real people in to take your money and wish you 'good luck' but to save time there are also automated machines, a bit like a ticket machine at a railway station, you can do it on-line or have an account and place bets via text messages. It is VERY popular. You don't even need to go outside to watch the live race, it can be viewed on hundreds of screens all around the betting hall. We had a great day out.
Don't tell anyone but we went into the betting shop in Sai Kung earlier today and put bets on five races for todays meet at Sha Tin - we've already won!
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