Kwanti Racecourse-San Wai Camp-1936

Mon, 09/22/2014 - 23:07
Date picture taken
15 Jun 1936

Comments

I tend to believe the origional race course is around today's Precious Blood Children's Village. The plot was bought in 1952. Fanling Hunt & Race Club was dissolved in 1954. The revised location actually is very close to Kan Lung Village.

The earliest reference to Kwanti or Kwan Ti (military land in Chinese) in the HKGRO comes from the 1899 Report on the Extension of the Colony showing a population of 80 people were living in the village.

The race course takes its name after the nearby village and not due to the presence of the British Army camp located nearby at San Wai.

1936 Kwanti Race Course looking towards San Wai Camp and Cap Badge Hill.

1936 San Wai Camp

 

Yes, the Fanling Hunt operated the Kwanti Race Course from about 1927 or 1928. Steeplechase races were also ran. If one looks at the 1930s map one will note that the " stables" were located to the east of San Wai Camp. Not sure if these were for the military or for the Hunt.

In 1927 or 1928 when the Kwanti Race Course first started 5 race meetings were held that year and special train services were run from Kowloon to Fanling for the events. So one would consider in those days the Kwanti Race Course as being closest to the nearest town of Fanling. That's just my guess.

The book "At the Peak" by Paul Gillingham has a chapter on the Fanling Hunt and Kwanti race course along with a number of splendid pictures of the Hunt and  steeplechasing at the race course. The Hunt was started in 1924 and apparently occasionally strayed over the border during its activities

China Mail 19 and 21 March 1932

The Fanling Hunt Meeting was held at the Kwanti Race Course on 20 March 1932. The Meeting also included steeplechase events. The main race was the Fanling Grand National which coincided with the English Grand National held a few days earlier.

The Hunan Stakes was a flat race of 6 furlongs for China ponies, subscription griffins of the HKJC and ponies classified by the HKJC in "D1 and D2' classes and to be ridden by jockeys who had not won 10 races at anywhere at anytime.

The "Sunning" that won the Hunan Stakes was owned and ridden by H. P. Rees. His other horse "Glorious Stag" came in second.

From the 1933 Jury List, it would appear that H. P. Rees was Horace Peter Rees.

 

 

Your information has been very much of helpful.

Was the Hunan Stakes a part of the Fanling Grand National held at the Kwanti Race Course on 20 March 1932.?

Three items, the Hong Kong Jockey Club enamelled bar brooch, together with two photos, have been sold out as an auction lot from England, and have been entered by a private vendor clearing a local property as I asked the auction house for its provenance. I believe the former owner of these items is related to Horace Peter Rees. The lady in the photo probably is the wife of H. P. Rees, I would guess.

 What is the subscription griffins of the HKJC?

The "A H Potts" mentioned in the news clipping is most likely "Alexander Hutton Potts" my first cousin once removed. His wife was Susannah Weill, daughter of Albert and Rosie Weill. Unfortunately I have not been able to find much information on Susannah other than her parent's names.

 I used Google Eearth to locate Lung Yeuk Tau and Precious Blood Chidrens' Village. Looking at the image I can see a definite pathway/outline in an arc which suggests it might have been part of the racecourse.