The Singapore Turf Club, Singapore’s only horse racecourse, will stage its final event in 2024.
The 120-hectare property will be returned to the government of the nation and used for both public and private housing.
An occasion at the track is dedicated in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, a devoted racegoer and breeder of racehorses.
During a visit to Singapore in 1972, Her Late Majesty presented the first Queen Elizabeth II Cup. In 2006, she returned to the main event once more.
In Singapore, “horse racing has a long and distinguished history”, according to a statement released by the Singapore Turf Club late on Monday.
The club added: “With races continuing until the 100th Grand Singapore Gold Cup on October 5, 2024, the club will continue to ensure the sportsmanship, safety, and integrity of every race.”
But why is the racecourse closing down and when did it first open?
Why is the racecourse closing down?
The area will be renovated for public and private housing, according to the government of the nation, to “meet future land use needs”.
The government added that attendance at the Singapore Turf Club has declined over the past decade.
Additionally, the Ministry of National Development stated that it would look into other potential uses for the property, such as leisure and recreation facilities.
When did the racecourse open?
The Singapore Sporting Club was established in 1842 by Scottish businessman William Henry Macleod Read and a number of other supporters.
In Farrer Park, in the heart of Singapore, they converted a little area of semi-swampland into a racecourse. The Singapore Turf Club became the new name for the location in 1924.
Horse racing turned out to be popular not just with Europeans; rich Malay and Chinese racegoers also attended meetings.
As interest in horse racing grew on the island, the course was relocated to a bigger site at Bukit Timah in western Singapore in 1933.
The Singapore Turf Club relocated to its current site at Kranji, in the north of the island, in March 2000. The five-storey grandstand at the S$500 million ($370.9 million; £298 million) racetrack can accommodate 30,000 spectators.
