Final Derby Day at Kranji Racecourse a bittersweet farewell
French jockey Marc Lerner guides Lim’s Saltoro to a memorable victory in Sunday’s main race
IT WAS just like the good old days.
There was a happy buzz at the Singapore Turf Club on Sunday (Jul 21), transformed from the relative calm and dwindling crowds over the last few months into a lively party atmosphere of blast and blare.
It was Derby Day at the Kranji Racecourse, the staging of one of the oldest feature races in horse-racing dating back to 1880, when the Turf Club was at Farrer Park.
With interest having drastically waned and many trainers and stables having moved outside Singapore since the shocking announcement last year that horse-racing would cease after Oct 5, the Turf Club had been frantically searching for memories. This was why this Derby Day came to be resurrected. Five thousand free-admission tickets to the Grandstand Level 1 were distributed to those keen on watching the S$400,000 Group 1 premier race.
The inaugural race in 1880 was run by four-year-old steeds over a distance of 1,800 m, and the prize purse was a then-princely S$150. Since then, the race has created several memorable moments of excellence, such as the recent indelible marks by Jolie’s Shinju, whose 2009 win completed a clean sweep of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge; there was also Jupiter Gold’s triumph in the last renewal sponsored race by Emirates in 2018, and Lim’s Kosciuszko’s victory in 2022.
The atmosphere used to be electric, the air abuzz with anticipation as the horses strutted through the packed Parade Ring, and then onto the lush, green track. The vibe was not quite of the same magnitude on Sunday, but there was still plenty of excitement for the 5,800-strong crowd.
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Some couples dressed like they would have at the more-than-million-dollar Emirates Singapore Derby of yesteryear – the men in suits and ties, and the women in colourful, extravagant outfits, paired with oversized hats and feathered fascinators.
The anticipation built up over the races, hitting a high when local apprentice jockey Jerlyn Seow rode a well-judged race on Pacific Beauty to claim Race 7. This was the S$30,000 Class 5 Jupiter Gold Stakes over 1,800 m, for a S$65-S$16 win-place payout.
The big race an hour later showcased the showmanship and sportsmanship of jockeys in colourful attire. The overwhelming favourite, Lim’s Saltoro, elicited “oohs” and “aahs” as he trotted to the starting gate. He obliged his backers (S$10-S$5.10) with a resounding run, when French jockey Marc Lerner guided him to a win over a gallant Makin (Maonel Nunes) to once again turn the backdrop to the stable’s famous blue-and-yellow-star silk colours.
Trainer Daniel Meagher, who won his first Derby with Lim’s Kosciuszko in 2022, scored three victories before this Derby triumph. And the Australian was emotional about this final Derby, saying: “(Singapore) is a country that holds a special place in my heart. The horse is super tough, he’s a fighter who doesn’t like to lose. I’m very proud of him.”
The well-organised event drew many emotions, and was a fitting tribute to the Derby, the oldest major race.
A regular racegoer in a wheelchair, Lim Kay Seng, 65, choked up in tears as he reminisced: “I have been to the races every week since I was young. Even a stroke 10 years ago, which left me handicapped, did not deter me. After October, when the races will be no more, I won’t know how to spend my weekends.”
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