July 1, 2026, Return Races Day draws 27,000 attendees; passenger volume hits a record high; in Hung Hom, more than 2,000 drones form “Shenzhou” astronauts to celebrate July 1

Coinciding with July 1, Sha Tin Racecourse today also “kept the races going” to celebrate the return. The event attracted more than 27,000 people throughout the day, including nearly 9,300 visitors, which was 36% higher than last year, and also set a new high for race day since the return. In addition, the total betting turnover for the 11 races across the day was nearly HK$1.65 billion.

Ms. Yang 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 would cost nearly HK$20,000. Another German company entered the venue for team-building. Mr. Zhu, general manager of the Shanghai branch of a German tire company, said that he traveled with nearly 30 colleagues and that it was his first time at the racecourse. He praised the racecourse’s operating model as something worth learning from.

Drones form multiple “Hong Kong flavor” patterns

Tonight at the new waterfront in Hung Hom, there was also a large-scale drone light-and-shadow show. More than 2,000 drones in the sky formed giant images such as the Golden Bauhinia, the Tsing Ma Bridge, and the Shenzhou-23 astronaut, among others. They also arranged slogans such as “One country, two systems, and steady progress.” The 15-minute show drew many residents and tourists, with families stopping to watch and taking photos to mark the occasion.