Kranji reopens: Public can finally return

A collective sigh of relief could be heard around Kranji and beyond, following yesterday’s announcement that the Singapore Turf Club will reopen its doors to spectators from this Saturday’s race meeting.

Racing was shut down for three months during the circuit breaker between April and June 2020, before resuming in July, but behind closed doors since.

With further Government restrictions easing from today, racing stakeholders and fans alike will see the turnstiles swing open again, especially in light of the 75 per cent capacity limit for large events being lifted.

The club’s press statement indicated that “all visitors and spectators to STC are required to be fully vaccinated to enter the premises”.

Safe Entry check-in via TraceTogether app or token will still apply as well as mask-wearing indoors.

Racing fan Raymond Tan, 68, welcomed the news with excitement, but also a certain degree of restraint.

“It’s a very positive move. Having the public back will add excitement to the atmosphere, it’ll make racing more interesting,” said the retiree.

“But we still have to be very careful and take some good protective measures, even if we can now get together at public venues.

“We still have to protect ourselves by wearing masks and practising social distancing. We should not take this new freedom, so to speak, for granted.

“We have to give credit to the Singapore Turf Club for allowing the public back, but we must also be socially responsible or else this return of the public may be shortlived.”

Another racing fan who has felt like one of those horses left standing in the starting gates too long is Charles Spencer, a 57-year-old analyst. The Singapore-based American has missed the high-fives whenever he picks a winner.

“Watching the races on TV is without the camaraderie of friends ... when you are cheering a horse on,” he said.

“At home I may be watching the races and say ‘Hey, I just hit the third race!’ and my children would say ‘who cares?’. It’s a lot more fun to be at the track.”

As the club looks forward to putting bums back on seats, the racing fraternity is also hoping some normality will be restored.

Trainer Michael Clements, for one, saw the breakthrough as a first big step towards an uptick in betting turnover. 

“Before Covid-19, on-course betting was the main platform while online betting accounted for only 18 per cent of the total turnover,” said the Association of Racehorse Trainers Singapore (Arts) president.

“But online betting has increased to 62 per cent during the lockdown. However, a lot of punters are not tech-savvy and still prefer to bet at the betting windows.

“Needless to say, the volume of betting should go up now that the doors will open again.”

The human participants are all champing at the bit, but horses who have raced only before empty stands may find it a little strange. 

Jockey Danny Beasley had an interesting take, especially as the rider of arguably Singapore’s two most talked about horses.

“Lim’s Kosciuszko has never raced before a public when he did his eight-from-eight,” said the Australian rider, who has plied his trade in Singapore since 2007.

“Kranji will also feel like a different venue to him, but he’s very quiet and placid, and I don’t think it’ll be a problem.

“Funnily, I’m more worried for Lim’s Lightning. 

“He hasn’t raced in front of crowds in the last two years, and we all know his sensational season last year.

“He can be a hothead, and it’ll be interesting to see how he reacts this Saturday.

“But, in saying this, it could also work out in a good way. That could get him into the game better.”

At the end of the day, Beasley said just having fans screaming for the pair in the $100,000 Kranji Stakes A race (1,400m) will be the real drawcard.

“The timing couldn’t have been better as we have the prelude to the Kranji Mile this week. There will be a lot of good horses running,” said Beasley, who will ride the resuming Lim’s Lightning while Wong Chin Chuen partners Lim’s Kosciuszko.

“The public has not been able to come to the races, and I’m sure they can’t wait to see such good horses in the flesh.”