Horse Racing in Singapore is a popular sport and pastime with a long history dating back to the British colonial era. Singapore racecourse known as Kranji Racecourse, is home to some incredible racing throughout the year.
Singapore Gold Cup
The most prestigious horse race in Singapore is the Singapore Gold Cup, which is held at the Singapore Turf Club every year. This Group 1 race, which is held on a left-handed course of 2,000 meters on a turf surface, is accessible to local horses three years of age and older. It is one of Singapore’s richest races, with a purse of S$1,000,000.
An annual thoroughbred flat horse race called the Singapore Gold Cup takes place at Singapore Turf Club in November. The Singapore Gold Cup was first run in 1924 at Serangoon Road Race Course, and it continued there until 1933 before moving to the brand-new Bukit Timah Race Course. The Bukit Timah facility was shut down in 1999, and a new Singapore Turf Club opened in Kranji. It remained there till then.
The Singapore Derby
An annual thoroughbred horse race called the Singapore Derby takes place at the Singapore Turf Club in mid-July. It is a Group 1 race, held on a left-handed course of 1,800 meters (9 furlongs) on a turf surface, available to 4-year-old colts, geldings, and fillies. It has a purse of S$400,000.
It was first held at the Serangoon Road Race Course in 1880 and continued until 1910, when it was discontinued. It was reinstated in 1959 on Singapore Turf Club’s orders and held at Bukit Timah Race Course until 1999 when the race track was decommissioned, and the new Singapore Turf Club took its place.
The Raffles Cup
An annual Thoroughbred horse race called the Raffles Cup takes place at Singapore’s Kranji Racecourse during November’s first week each year. The domestic Group One race, which is held on a turf surface, is run on 1800 meters (9 furlongs or 1.12 miles) long left-handed course and is accessible to horses three years of age and older and has a purse of S$500,000.
The Bukit Timah Race Course hosted the Raffles Cup’s inaugural race in 1991, and it continued to host races there until 1999 when it was closed to make way for the brand-new Kranji Racecourse. From 1991 to 2000, it was run over 1600 meters, but in 2001, the distance was altered to its current 1800 meters.
Kranji Mile
An annual thoroughbred horse race called the Kranji Mile takes place at Singapore Turf Club in May. In 2000, the race was initially declared. The domestic Group 1 race, which is also an International Group 3 race, is held over the left-handed course of 1,600 meters (8 furlongs) on a turf surface and is available to horses three years of age and older. It has a purse of S$1,000,000. It was redesigned in 2018 as an invitational race, but since 2020, it has only been accessible to local runners because races are held in secret.
Queen Elizabeth II Cup
At Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories of Hong Kong, there is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race called the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. It was started in 1975 by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and is raced every year in April over a grass course for a distance of 2,000 meters (ten furlongs). It was run at 2,200 meters before 1997. (eleven furlongs). It has a purse of HK$25,000,000.
If you’re looking to get involved in the excitement of horse racing in Singapore, be sure to check out these seven big races!
Who owns Singapore Turf Club?
Tote Board, established in January 1988, has the legal right to organise horse races via its proprietary club, known as the Singapore Turf Club. TOTO, 4D, Singapore Sweep, Horse Betting, and Sports betting can be conducted through Singapore Pools (Private) Limited., their wholly-owned subsidiary.