It’s never nice to report on a respected club with over 180 years of history closing its door. Unfortunately, the Singapore Turf Club has had to start the process of doing just that. The reason behind this sad event is that the ever-growing needs of people in Singapore mean that the land has had to be reclaimed for housing and residential purposes. News of closure has led to outcries by many of overreach by the government. However, the flip side of the argument is that Covid has taken a heavy toll on racing attendance.
The Singapore Turf Club has enjoyed an illustrious history and was even visited by the Late Queen Elizabeth II during a tour of Singapore. She was not there by chance. Whilst visiting Singapore in 1972, she had a race dedicated to her, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. For those not in the know, the late Queen was an avid racing fan, having her own racehorses and frequently attending race meets.
Fortunately, the Turf Club has committed to an orderly wind-down of affairs over the next few years, which means some racing will continue, albeit at other tracks. The final race meeting will be held on 5th October 2024. As part of that meet, there will be the 100th Grand Singapore Gold Cup.
The club was quoted
“Singapore Turf Club is extremely proud to have been the home of horse racing for nearly two centuries. We are committed to seeing this phase of the nation’s history come to an end in a dignified manner, befitting all our stakeholders including employees, jockeys, racehorse owners, racehorse trainers, the equestrian community and horses that have graced our grounds. We hope to leave a lasting impression of the Club that will be fondly and proudly remembered by Singapore and the world”.
Singapore Turf Club
Racing will continue in Singapore, just not with the Singapore Turf Club and its long history.
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