Days in Hong Kong variety shows

Sha Tin Racecourse is a new racecourse built by the Hong Kong Island Jockey Club after it applied to the Hong Kong government for an additional racecourse because the Happy Valley Racecourse was frequently full (red flags were flying) and the government approved the application.

In 1971, the government approved in principle the Hong Kong Jockey Club's plan to build a racecourse in Sha Tin. Construction of the new racecourse began in 1973 and it was completed and opened in 1978. The grandstand can accommodate 35000 people, and horse racing events will be held at the racecourse every Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately, in just a few years, with the continuous increase in visitor traffic, the stands quickly became insufficient, and the Jockey Club had no choice but to expand the stands.

Around 10 a.m., Fo Tan Road, Lok King Street, and Tai Po Road in Sha Tin were already bustling with crowds and traffic.

Today is June 19th, a Sunday, the Sha Tin Racecourse race day. Many horse racing enthusiasts and betting lovers from Hong Kong and Kowloon have dressed up carefully to attend this twice-weekly event, the other being the Wednesday night race at Happy Valley.

Cao Tai and his two companions followed the throng of people toward Sha Tin Racecourse. Over ten thousand people thronged the streets, and to avoid being separated by the crowd, Cao Tai could only use his immense strength to hold Gang Sheng by one shoulder and protect her in his arms.

Xiao Fu, with his agile body, darted through the crowd like a fish, closely following Cao Tai and his companion.

It wasn't exactly a difficult journey, but it felt like overcoming a hundred obstacles. Around 11 a.m., the three of them finally bought tickets and entered Sha Tin Racecourse.

With the match still some time away, Cao Taixian took the two to the "Baby Hall" Cantonese restaurant for a meal.

After a satisfying meal and a leisurely stroll, just over 10 minutes before the start of the match and the betting deadline, Cao Tai finally took Gang Sheng's slender hand and led him to the betting area.

The racecourse betting area is located next to the horses' display area, so many betting enthusiasts can observe the condition of the participating horses in advance before placing bets based on their own analysis.

Inside the betting area lobby, there are also large-screen TVs that continuously play the historical racing records of the horses waiting to compete, as well as expert analysis of their recent performance. Even the jockeys bring them out to discuss and analyze.

Cao Tai was observing the first race of nine horses when suddenly a tremendous force came from his left arm.

Cao Tai remained unmoved, while the person who had rammed into him was forced back two steps by the force of the impact and managed to regain his footing.

Turning my head to look over, oh my! Looking at the short, chubby guy in front of me, wearing a shirt and trousers, with glasses and a big belly, he was the spitting image of "Invincible Scissor Kick"!

Of course, if Cao Tai were alone, he might not be familiar with which role or drama he played. But wasn't there a guy with a striped T-shirt, a small belly, and a buzz cut and a mustache following behind him? That sleazy vibe...

If the two of them were together, wouldn't that be the perfect pairing of "Invincible Scissors Kick" Chief Huang and "Tiger of Major Crimes" Tsao Ta-hua, who lives off a woman?

The two look a bit younger than when they appeared in "Fight Back to School," but their identical aura is impossible to hide, like fireflies in the dark, easily spotted.

"What the hell? Believe it or not, I'll fly up and squeeze you with both legs, and you'll burst...!" The short, fat man stretched out his chubby hand and made a "V" sign, but before he could even make the gesture, Uncle Da behind him grabbed him and covered his mouth with one hand, silencing the rest of his words.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry! He just lost his bet on horses, so he's a little upset!" Uncle Tat apologized, bowing and scraping, perfectly capturing the humor of a small-time character.

"Lost what? I didn't even place a bet!" Director Huang broke free from Uncle Da's arm, then turned to Cao Tai and started yelling again, "Hey kid, let me tell you..."

"At first glance, you seem wise and capable, and you look just as good as before! So I couldn't help but take a second look. I'm really sorry!" Cao Tai interjected at the right moment, interrupting Director Huang and also stopping Uncle Da, who was trying to hold Director Huang back again.

Uncle Da even put on a serious expression as if to say, "You're teaching me how to do things," and gave the director a thumbs-up, making a "top-notch" gesture.

"Wow, you've got great taste, handsome guy! I used to host a show where people would call in to ask about kung fu, and I was nicknamed 'Invincible Scissors Kick.' You really have good taste; no wonder you managed to find such a beautiful girlfriend!"

Mr. Cao was leading a boy from Hong Kong. The boy was tall and graceful, with beautiful features and bright eyes. Even in flat shoes, he was already up to Cao Tai's forehead.

Director Huang had to raise his head to speak.

"Hey handsome, have you spotted a good horse? Want me to give you a tip?"

"Oh, what's there to recommend?" Cao Tai replied casually.

It's understandable that this duo, known for their expertise in the nightlife scene on Portland Street, might be considered knowledgeable, but Mr. Cao clearly doesn't have high hopes for them when it comes to betting on horses.

In the drama, Cao Dahua is around 50 years old. The police station pays him a salary. With 20 or 30 years of service, his salary is definitely not low. Moreover, it is normal for an undercover agent's salary to be several times higher than that of a regular employee.

Moreover, the "tiger of serious crimes" was not an undercover agent in the underworld, but in a company or school, which would normally be a legitimate source of income.

The names on the memorial tablets in his home should be the real undercover agents. The information was passed to Cao Dahua, and then Uncle Da submitted it. In between, the director could also find any excuse to apply for an informant fee for him.

In the movie, Uncle Da still lives in a tenement building, and it's just a small two-bedroom apartment of a few hundred square feet. Normally, with his income from four or five sources, he couldn't afford a villa, but buying a large house of a thousand square feet wouldn't be difficult.

A single, older man with no girlfriend, no family, no car, no savings, and a dilapidated old house, not even a fellow Daoist, can only afford to spend his earnings on hairdressing, blowjobs, and spinach.

Given the usual style of the police chief and the "tiger of serious crimes" going to gambling dens together to get their hair washed and acting like brothers, they would also gamble together occasionally. And judging from the fact that Tsao Ta-hua never had much money, it's clear that they were both students on the gambling path, constantly paying their tuition.

The director's "tips" are questionable.

"Can you see that horse number '6'? Its name is 'Bai Yi', and its owner is Huo Zhaotang, a wealthy man in the city. Although this Mr. Huo is a bad person, he caused several of our men to be imprisoned."

However, a person's character cannot overshadow their talent; this horse is truly fit and makes a resounding "fuangfuang" sound!

Cao Tai's heart stirred at the useful information extracted from the chief's words about Huo Zhaotang "implicating several police officers to jail"!

Does this involve any elements from "Rage: Major Crimes"? The timeline doesn't quite match up; this should be a story that takes place after 2000!

However, upon closer reflection, the story of the Hong Kong student in "Righteousness Over the Heavens" who was saved by him and wanted to be his girlfriend doesn't make sense.

"King of Assassins" Xiao Fu also joined his gang as soon as he smuggled himself over. So he probably won't be following that Dog Brother who goes hungry three times a day, and even when he calls home, he gets scolded. The story has already deviated from its original direction.

The story of "Major Crime" doesn't seem so abrupt now that it's been integrated, but I've already seen the characters from "Righteousness Over the Sky," "King of Assassins," "Young and Dangerous," and "Fight Back to School."

I've heard about the character in "Raging Fire" and also met Uncle De, who has never appeared in any film or television series but is definitely a hidden boss type. I just don't know how deep Uncle De's waters are.

Cao Tai was unaware that Miao Zhishun, who was investigating him, was also involved with "Gun King" and "Mongkok Nights." However, Cao Tai was 100% certain that he was in a Hong Kong variety show mashup, and that he would likely meet many characters from his previous life's movies and TV dramas. His future life was expected to be colorful and exciting.

In the blink of an eye, only a few seconds had passed. Director Huang, seeing Cao Tai standing silently, assumed that he was observing the horse he had pointed out as his favorite.

Horse number 6, "Baiyi," is a very auspicious name. Huo Zhaotang, as expected of a banker, even chooses a name for his horse that evokes the idea of ​​"abundant wealth."

This Australian horse was featured on television before. Although it didn't win any races last year, it consistently placed second or third, and its performance has been steadily improving.

This time, he was a favorite to participate in the competition as soon as he signed up.

However, in Cao Tai's eyes, although the brown-red colt had a glossy coat, he could clearly see that the horse's muscles were taut and its eyes showed a hint of fatigue.

Normally, horse owners keep their horses at the horse racing club, which provides professional breeders and trainers. Horse owners can also hire their own breeders and trainers to feed and train their horses.

This horse may look impressive on the surface, but it's not in good condition inside.

"Could it be that Huo Zhaotang was kidnapped, rescued, and then frequently appeared in court to testify, going through a long and unpleasant legal battle? The company must have also experienced some turmoil! The time span is at least several months, and he can't manage so many things at home."

If a horse is neglected by its owner and the trainer is also a bit lax, then it's understandable that the horse will show signs of muscle tension and fatigue after only a short warm-up.

He pondered for a moment, then verbally replied to Director Huang, "This horse hasn't been used in a while, has it? The information I've seen is from several months ago. It seems a bit overrated. Let's take another look!"