July 1, 2026 | Return Racing Day Draws 27,000 Attendees, Visitor Numbers Hit a Record High, More Than 2,000 Drones in Hung Hom Spell Out a Shenzhou Astronaut to Celebrate July 1

Coinciding with July 1, Sha Tin Racecourse today also held its “horses run as usual” celebration for the anniversary of the Handover, drawing more than 27,000 people to the venue throughout the day. Of them, the number of visitors was nearly 9,300, up 36% from last year, and it also set a new record for the Handover Race Day. In addition, the total betting amount for the 11 races across the day was nearly HK$1.65 billion.

Ms. Yang, a visitor from Zhejiang, said the racecourse is not only full of “Hong Kong flavor,” but also has many digital entertainment facilities, and that her 3-day itinerary in Hong Kong will cost nearly HK$20,000. Another German company entered the venue for a “team building” activity. Mr. Zhu, general manager of the Shanghai branch of a German tire company, said he came with nearly 30 colleagues; it was his first time at the racecourse, and he praised that the racecourse’s operating model is worth learning from.

Drones Create Multiple “Hong Kong Flavor” Designs

Also tonight, at the new waterfront in Hung Hom, there was a large-scale drone light and shadow show. More than 2,000 drones in the sky formed giant designs including a golden Bauhinia, the Tsing Ma Bridge, and an astronaut of Shenzhou-23, as well as arranging slogans such as “One Country, Two Systems, Steadily Moving Forward.” The show, which lasted 15 minutes, drew many citizens and tourists of all ages to stop, watch, and take photos.