Following the news on the closure of the Singapore Turf Club at Kranji come October 2024, the future seems uncertain for horse trainers, stable hands and many others working at the club, as well as the 700 horses from the club's horse racing operations.

Two insiders - Michael Clements, President, Association of Racehorse Trainers Singapore and Cameron Croucher, Managing Director of Equine International Airfreight weigh in on the matter.

Presented by: Lynlee Foo 

This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) 

Highlights:

(00:00) Intro

(01:24) Michael, you've been around in Singapore’s racehorsing scene for a while now. How are you and other racehorse trainers coping with the latest news? 

(01:52) I understand that you and some trainers met with Singapore Turf Club President and Chief Executive Irene Lim on Friday. From what we know, people walked away without much clarity than before. What did you make of that meeting?

(03:04) Will there be a follow-up discussion or meeting of sorts after this?

(03:23) Cameron, let’s get you into this conversation. You deal with the export and import of some of the horses to Singapore and the region. How far-reaching are the consequences of this move on businesses like yours? 

(03:55) Are you already seeing any direct impact?

(04:24) We're looking at 700 horses. 700 horses to be moved. Are there already plans on your part to take in any of those horses? You were mentioning that you've already been approached? 

(05:19) Talk us through what could be some other options and perhaps challenges with regards to where these horses could go?

(06:09) Michael, from a perspective of a trainer, how major is such a move for the horses and what sort of preparations are needed in the lead-up?

(07:27) I'm going to talk about the process of moving these horses. Cameron, how massive is the care needed on the way to their destination, wherever they might be headed? What do vets who accompany the horses look out for, to make sure that the horses are healthy?

(08:42) Rounding back to the heart of the issue here - the impending closure of the Singapore Turf Club. Michael, I'm just thinking about this - we are actually looking at perhaps the end of a sport in Singapore? 

(09:47) So as you were saying it is still very big outside of Singapore. So are there other avenues for horse trainers like yourself to explore some other work?

(10:37) Cameron, any last thoughts before we let you go?