Singapore Turf Club holds last race at Kranji

The Singapore Turf Club (STC) held its last race on 5 October 2024 and will close its facility by FY2026, according to the Tote Board's annual report¹. The final meeting at the Kranji racecourse featured the 100th Grand Singapore Gold Cup and an elevated program of 10 races, with about 10,000 guests expected². The club is closing to make way for housing and other development, and the 120ha site it occupies will be returned to the Government for redevelopment into public housing and other leisure and recreational activities³.

The closure was announced in June 2023 as part of land development plans¹. Declining interest and spectatorship in horse racing was a reason cited for the decision, with an average attendance of 2,600 per race day following the club's post-Covid reopening in 2022³. The Tote Board said the STC manages and operates the sport of horse racing at the Singapore Racecourse at Kranji, and that as part of the land development plans it "held its last race on 5 October 2024, and will close its facility by FY2026"¹.

In the financial year ended March 2023, about $1.1 billion was wagered on horse races in Singapore, according to the Tote Board's annual report⁴. The Tote Board's financial statement indicated it would reassess the impact of the closure as activities progressively wind down, and said the contribution from Singapore races to the group's income is not significant⁴. Singapore Pools, established by the Singapore government on 23 May 1968 to provide safe and trusted betting to counter illegal gambling, is the only licensed operator of lotteries and sports betting services in Singapore¹. The Tote Board oversees both Singapore Pools and the STC, including their strategic directions and significant business decisions related to socially responsible gaming, countering illegal gambling, and horse racing¹.

The closure affected workers and horses. Apart from the 350 staff employed by the STC, about 420 more workers employed by racehorse trainers were affected, and the STC said it would extend employment facilitation, skills training and career counseling to those affected³. A majority of STC staff continued to be employed up until the last scheduled race in October 2024, with some continuing to work there until 2027 to handle administrative and payroll matters³. About 700 horses resided at the STC, and the primary strategy was for horses to be exported to other countries like Malaysia or Australia³. Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah told Parliament that owners have a responsibility to look after their horses, and that under Section 41(C) of the Animals and Birds Act 1965, anyone found guilty of abandoning an animal may be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$40,000, or both³.

What it means for players

With the STC closed, there is no live horse racing at Kranji. Singapore Pools is the only legal sports, lottery and horse betting operator in Singapore⁵. Under the Gambling Control Act, anyone found guilty of gambling with an unlawful gambling service provider can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both⁵. Individuals convicted of conducting an unlawful betting operation as an operator can be fined up to $500,000 and jailed for up to seven years, while those involved as an agent can be fined up to $200,000 and jailed for up to five years⁵.

In the first major operation against illegal horse betting activities following the closure of the STC on 5 October, 73 people were investigated for suspected involvement in such activities⁵. During the operation from 30 October to 10 November, multiple locations were raided, including Banda Street, Telok Blangah Crescent, King George's Avenue, Smith Street, Teban Gardens Road, Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, Aljunied Crescent, Eunos Crescent, Tampines, Marsiling Road and Boon Lay Place⁵. Cash amounting to more than $43,000, mobile phones and horse betting paraphernalia were seized⁵. The 70 men and three women, aged between 52 and 93, are believed to have been involved in various roles, such as illegal bookmakers, runners and punters⁵.

In a separate case, Ng Sea Beng, a 69-year-old Singaporean, was jailed for four weeks on 21 July 2026 after pleading guilty to one count under the Gambling Control Act for conducting a betting operation⁶. He collected bets from at least three people for at least five horse races over two hours near Block 967B, Jurong West Street 93, taking bets on horse races conducted in Hong Kong, and collected cash earnings of S$1,550⁶. He was nabbed by police in possession of over S$4,000 in cash, a pen and a betting slip⁶. For conducting a betting operation, he could have been jailed for up to five years, fined up to S$200,000, or both⁶.

What happens next

The STC will close its facility by FY2026¹. The club was slated to shutter its doors for good by March 2027 to make way for land redevelopment⁴. Some STC staff will continue to work there until 2027 to handle administrative and payroll matters as part of the winding down process³. The Tote Board said it would reassess the impact of the closure accordingly as activities progressively wind down over the next few years⁴.