'Pity to see this go': Punters at Singapore Turf Club reminisce about past races after closure announcement

SINGAPORE: The sun beat down on jockeys and their horses as they raced across a grass track to the finish line. 

Beside them, a swell of voices urged them on, rising in pitch as the winner crossed the line to cheers of victory and groans of disappointment alike. 

The audience stands at the Singapore Turf Club were only half-filled on Sunday (Jun 11) afternoon – most punters prefer to take respite from the heat by watching the races on TV screens in the air-conditioned public grandstand.

Those who chose to endure the heat sought the adrenaline of watching the horses race – an experience that will come to an end in October next year.

Sunday's race was the first race at the Singapore Racecourse since an announcement on Jun 5 that the Kranji site will be handed back to the government in 2027 for redevelopment. The last race will be on Oct 5, 2024.

The 120 hectares of land will be used for housing, the government said, adding that it is studying other potential uses.

The announcement took many by surprise, with horse trainers and jockeys expressing shock and disbelief.

Punters present for the 12 races on Sunday told CNA it was a pity that the Singapore Turf Club, founded in 1842, was closing, but also noted the waning interest and declining attendance.

One of those at the club for the races was construction worker Xu Fu Lin, who has been attending horse races every week since the Kranji racecourse was minted more than 20 years ago. 

Recalling how he used to attend the races with a group of 10 or more friends, Mr Xu said only a few accompany him now. 

"I like to see the horses exercise, to run – it is a personal hobby," he said. 

But the number of spectators dwindled after Singapore opened its two casinos at Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, he said. 

While resigned to the inevitable closure of Singapore Racecourse, Mr Xu, 42, pointed out that there are still horse races overseas to look out for, particularly in Hong Kong. 

Mr Xu was seated in the stands, while other spectators, mostly elderly men, stood or milled around. A handful of individuals squatted against walls smoking cigarettes while reading newspapers and books for information between the races.

Spectators would approach the barrier separating the tracks from the audience stand as races progressed throughout the day, returning to the shade after they ended. 

In the air-conditioned public grandstand, spectators gathered around TV screens, urging their favourite horses on during races. Shouts of horse numbers punctuated the constant chatter. 

Others queued to place bets at counters, mostly ignoring the self-betting kiosks. 

Observing the action indoors was a spectator, Madam Lisa Lee, who recalled how races at Bukit Timah Racecourse used to be livelier. 

"Now and last time are not the same. Last time the racecourse at Bukit Timah and here at Kranji when it first opened were very lively and had many young people. Now it's all senior citizens," she said in Mandarin. 

"I feel that all the youth don't bet on horses now. Now the premises are bigger it also seems emptier," the housewife said, adding that there barely used to be any standing space when crowds showed up for the races. 

She said that apart from the lack of crowds, Singapore lacked the infrastructure to develop horse racing further, such as training children to be jockeys from young, as other countries do. 

"It's a pity. It's not just about betting. Since I was born, I've known about this racecourse. When it closes, there will be no opportunity to pass it down to the next generation, not like Hong Kong," she said. 

FIRST-TIME SPECTATORS

Standing out from the older crowd were a handful of young faces, eager to catch their fill of the races before they came to an end.

Among them was 24-year-old salesperson Zoe, who was excited to see how the races panned out. 

"I know about this place but I haven't been here before. Just that I know of friends who like horses a lot, so they are quite sad (about the closure)," said Zoe, who declined to give her last name. 

She added: "We don't really see a lot of youngsters here, that's why I think, it's a place that the older generation comes (to), and soon there will be (fewer and fewer) people. I think that's why they are thinking of closing down.

"Although I think it's quite a pity, because this place is something I see on TV when I was young ... it's quite a pity that Singapore is going to lose such a place."

Spectatorship at the Singapore Racecourse has fallen, with the average attendance per race day declining from 11,000 in 2010 to about 6,000 in 2019. 

After the reopening of the Singapore Racecourse last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the average attendance was about 2,600 spectators per race day. 

Sunday's races saw around 3,000 in-person spectators – a 15 per cent increase compared to a regular race day, said the Singapore Turf Club.

While a large number of punters were there to lay bets, others such as chief executive officer Marcel Wismer turned up to support a horse trainer friend. 

"My friend has been doing this his entire life and he says it's very devastating for him. He said in January he went with his investor to buy horses in Australia and bring them back here and they don't know what to do," the 55-year-old said. 

He remembered the excitement of his first visit to Singapore Turf Club eight years ago.

"It was packed. In fact, there were so many people and you could feel the energy and the atmosphere was bursting with energy and everybody was excited.

"I remember seeing a lot of westerners dressing well in suits in the hot weather and it was like, wow you know, you have a good feeling to come here," he recalled. 

He contrasted that trip to Sunday's visit, where the walkway towards Singapore Turf Club's entrance from the car park was "empty" and "deserted".

"I think it will be a pity if Singapore didn't have this anymore ... I enjoy the atmosphere. I am from overseas and overseas, you wear fancy hats, you dress up well. I find that the whole enjoyment of participating in these events ... I find that very nice. It's a pity to see this go," he added. 

Among the 350 employees affected by Turf Club's closure is track supervisor Rosly Anis, who worked his way up since joining as a driver in 2000. 

Mr Rosly, 55, said he was stunned upon hearing the news earlier this week. The veteran is in charge of maintaining the racing tracks and has never considered a job elsewhere. 

"I feel sad of course. We've been working here for so long, (I have) a lot of memories. I don't know what to do next," Mr Rosly said. 

Asked what he would miss the most, he said: "Horses. Although I don't deal with horses, every morning we see horses run."