Happy Lucky Dragon Win | Game of charades for local press pack at Sha Tin

At Sha Tin for the National Day meeting for Tuesday there was bumping of elbows, and even some push and shove, as competitiveness got the better of some. Tempers were frayed as fancied runners were beaten, and terse words were spoken among those normally considered friends. And that was just in the press room.

The South China Morning Post’s two-man team at the track (soon to be three with the addition of Andrew Hawkins - @AndrewNJHawkins - already our leading tipster) - is the only English-language media covering Hong Kong racing on a full-time basis.

The western contingent is in the vast minority and the SCMP Racing Post is outnumbered by Chinese media, including a voracious local press pack of beat reporters chasing a scoop. Two big local daily players, Apple Daily and Oriental Daily News, lead more than 15 other local publications, joined by myriad magazines and expert tipster-type raceday papers.

The blanket coverage ensures that each raceday and trackwork morning there are at least a dozen reporters on the ground vying to break a story. And then there’s the insane influx of entertainment reporters that storm the Sha Tin fortress each time Canto-pop star Aaron Kwok Fu-sing comes to the races.

There are three press rooms for local journos at Sha Tin; up on the eighth floor is the air-conditioned comfort and spectacular view set aside for those who have moved beyond trying to track down Gary Ng Ting-keung after a Class Five winner.

I guess that is where some of the anonymous columnists whose bylines appear in the local press from time-to-time probably reside too; Dr Gambling and Racecourse Godfather sitting high above the masses sharing their wisdom.