Her book reflects her deep understanding and passion for the 'sport of taipans' - as it was once known here - and readers with a similar interest will find the book informative and entertaining.
Fans will enjoy rediscovering the history of Hong Kong racing, from its humble beginnings to today's multibillion-dollar business and charity model, while learning a thing or two along the way.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book for long-time fans will be the passages that sum up the careers of some of racing's biggest names, both equine and human.
Champion gallopers such as Silent Witness and Indigenous, and the career of Tony Cruz, former champion jockey and now a trainer, provide readers with a good reflection on some of Hong Kong's heroes in an easy reading manner not overly burdened by figures.
For quizmasters or racing journalists (like myself), the book is a quick reference for facts and figures of interest, but for the beginner in racing here, the book is also a good introduction to some terms, phrases and customs peculiar to the sport in Hong Kong.
As readers flick through the alphabet they will even come across some events that have shaped the history of Hong Kong itself. The building of a second track at Sha Tin on 100 hectares of reclaimed land in 1978 was an engineering triumph, but Adams also notes black days in Hong Kong's history, none worse than the 1918 Derby Day Happy Valley grandstand fire which claimed some 600 lives.
The book touches on just about every aspect of the Jockey Club's operations and gives a good breakdown of some commonly used veterinary terminology, popular methods of form analysis and race ratings.
This book is also surprisingly up to date with recent developments, including the prospect of co-mingling of betting pools and the increasing internationalisation of the racing industry, with notes on well-known racing centres around the world.
Serious and casual fans of Hong Kong racing will find Adams has compiled an engaging book that is best left on the coffee table, as each time you go back to it you spot something of new interest.
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