Turfed out

WHERE champion racehorses once pounded the turf and sent divots flying in Kranji, some 20,000 to 40,000 new homes could sprout up. An enormous piece of land has been freed up with the just-announced plans to close the Singapore Turf Club. 

Horse-racing, the sport of kings, has been in decline for years in Singapore. As race sponsors left the scene and prize money dwindled, many punters - and horse-owners - have already taken their money elsewhere. The last race will run in 2024, after which, 300-plus jobs will be lost and the process of exporting 700 horses by 2026 begins. Reality hit the local horse-racing fraternity hard, even though rumours had been swirling for some time. Relive the glory days in our short history of Singapore horse-racing. 

Plans to redevelop the 120 hectares of land centre on residential use, which analysts figure will focus on public housing. Some reckon that there may be room, too, for retail and hospitality or recreation ventures, in keeping with wider plans to build up the northern region and capitalise on Causeway traffic, Ry-Anne Lim reports. Woodlands will also house an agri-tech hub, as well as future developments around the immigration checkpoint.