History of the Singapore Turf Club

The Singapore Turf Club (STC) is the oldest horse racing club in Singapore. It was founded in 1842 by a group of Scottish merchants and horse racing enthusiasts, led by William Henry Macleod Read. 

The club’s first race meeting was held on February 23, 1843, to mark the 24th anniversary of Singapore’s founding by Sir Stamford Raffles.

The STC initially operated a racecourse at Farrer Park, but it moved to a new racecourse in Kranji in 1999. The Kranji racecourse is one of the most modern horse racing facilities in the world, and it has hosted a number of major international races, including the Singapore Airlines International Cup and the KrisFlyer International Sprint.

The STC has played a significant role in the development of horse racing in Singapore. It has helped to promote the sport and to attract top-quality horses and jockeys from all over the world. The club has also been a major source of revenue for the Singapore government, and it has helped to boost tourism in the country.

However, the popularity of horse racing in Singapore has declined in recent years. This is due to a number of factors, including the rise of other forms of gambling, the high cost of horse racing, and the perception that horse racing is cruel to animals.

In 2023, the government announced that the STC will close its facility in Kranji by March 2027. The land occupied by the STC will be redeveloped to meet future land use needs. The closure of the STC will mark the end of an era for horse racing in Singapore, but it is also a reminder of the limited land resources in the country.

The STC has a long and rich history, and it has played a significant role in the development of Singapore. The club will be remembered as a pioneer of horse racing in the region, and it will continue to be a source of nostalgia for many Singaporeans for years to come.

Here are some of the major milestones in the history of the Singapore Turf Club:

1842: The Singapore Turf Club is founded by William Henry Macleod Read and a group of Scottish merchants and horse racing enthusiasts.

1843: The club’s first race meeting is held on February 23, 1843, to mark the 24th anniversary of Singapore’s founding by Sir Stamford Raffles.

1896: The club opens its new headquarters at Farrer Park.

1924: The club is renamed the Singapore Turf Club.

1942: The club’s headquarters are destroyed during World War II.

1946: The club rebuilds its headquarters and resumes racing.

1999: The club moves to its new racecourse in Kranji.

2023: The government announces that the STC will close its facility in Kranji by March 2027.

The Singapore Turf Club has played a significant role in the development of horse racing in Singapore. It has helped to promote the sport and to attract top-quality horses and jockeys from all over the world. 

The club has also been a major source of revenue for the Singapore government, and it has helped to boost tourism in the country. 

However, the popularity of horse racing in Singapore has declined in recent years, and the club will close its facility in Kranji by March 2027. 

The closure of the STC will mark the end of an era for horse racing in Singapore, but it is also a reminder of the limited land resources in the country.