Singapore Turf Club – History of horse racing in Singapore
Kranji, Singapore

Singapore Turf Club – History of horse racing in Singapore

1842
Singapore Sporting Club was formed by a group of racing enthusiasts.

1846
First race took place on 23 February 1843. Prizemoney for the race was $150, then a pricely sum.

1896
Official Rules of Racing were introduced with the formation of the Straits Racing Association, now known as the Malayan Racing Association.

1924
Singapore Sporting Club changed its name to Singapore Turf Club, in line with a more clearly defined role. During its varied and colourful past, the racecourse grounds had been used for an array of activities ranging from polo matches to the landing of the first aircraft in Singapore.

1927
Singapore Turf Club sold its premises to the Singapore Improvement Trust and bought part of the Bukit Timah Rubber Estate.

1933
The club moved to Bukit Timah.

1941
World War II reached the Asia-Pacific region and racing came to a halt. Racing resumed in Singapore two years after the war ended.

1960
For the first time members of the public were allowed to attend races which, before then, were restricted to members and owners.

1961
Cross-betting was introduced between the Club and the three clubs in Malaysia.

1972
The Queen Elizabeth II Cup was inaugurated to mark Her Majesty's visit to the Club.

1981
The first female jockey was granted licence to ride on the local turf. The $18 million North Grandstand was opened, allowing up to 50,000 people to be accommodated in the two stands. The Club established a microwave link with the racing centres in Malaysia, enabling racegoers in Singapore to watch races "live" from across the Causeway.

1988
The Singapore Totalisator Board was set up by the Government. The Board appointed the Bukit Turf Club as its agent to take over racing and 4-D operations from the Singapore Turf Club.

1992
The Club celebrated 150 years of racing in Singapore.

1993
The Club was the venue for the first ever $1 million race in the MRA circuit. The A$1 million Argyle Diamonds Singapore Magic Millions Classic was won by Mylee Stable's Magic Guest.

1994
The Bukit Turf Club changed its name to Singapore Turf Club with the de-registration of the former STC.

1995
Off-course betting services and facilities were introduced, including ACCESS hand-held terminals, Telebet and two off-course betting centres.

1997
First ever Singapore Racing Carnival Weekend and Ladies' Day were held at Bukit Timah Racecourse.

1998
The Club was awarded ISO 9002 certification in July.

1999
The Club moved to its new premises at Kranji in August.

2000
Official Opening of the Singapore Racecourse on 4 March by the President of the Republic of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan. Inaugural running of the $3 million Singapore Airlines International Cup.

2001
The International Cataloguing Standards Committee accorded International Group 1 status to the $3 million Singapore Airlines International Cup and International Group 3 status to both the $1 million Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Sprint and the $1 million Singapore Cup. The Club was re-certified ISO compliant under the new standard ISO 9001:2000 in July

2002
The Singapore Airlines International Cup was included in the prestigious World Series Racing Championship.

2003
Formation of the Orange and Lime Racing Trusts by STC Racing Management Pte Ltd. The inaugural Singapore Turf Club Charity Raceday raised $1.15 miillion in aid of the Community Chest.

2004
Formation of the Sapphire Racing Trust. The Club was re-certified ISO 9001:2000 compliant by PSB Certification Pte Ltd, an off-shoot of the then Singapore Productivity and Standards Board. The certification covers the entire spectrum of the Club's operations, including the operation and maintenance of horseracing services and facilities, and the provision of totalisator and gaming services. The Club is believed to be the first racecourse in the world to be ISO-certified.

2005
The Singapore Turf Club was awarded the ISO 17025 accreditation and was able to use the prestigious SAC-SINGLAS logo on its test reports. The Club was taxed on gross profit rather than turnover. In addition, the Club has the flexibility to determine the take-out rate for each individual pool.
From 1 July, the Club introduced a package of benefits aimed at increasing dividend payouts. These included a lower take-out rate for Win and Place pools for Malaysian and Singapore races; rebates for Win and Place bet pools for Malaysian and Singapore races as well as additional $100,000 injected into Quartet pools with carry-over jackpots for Singapore race meetings.
The Horseracing Channel 88 was launched over Starhub digital cable TV for the Club's Telebet customers.
The Club lifted the ban on the use of handphones at the racecourse and betting centres, with the exception of certain controlled areas for racing integrity and safety reasons.

2006
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Singapore Racecourse at Kranji in March to witness the running of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

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Photography by Eugene Tang. All Rights reserved.