Heritage Walk Exhibitions for the Singapore Turf Club
For an esteemed organisation like the Singapore Turf Club, the careful curation and presentation of its rich heritage are essential to honouring its legacy as one of Singapore’s first sports clubs. Earlier this year, History Ink was commissioned to provide research services for a series of exhibitions accompanying four races with historical significance – the Kranji Mile, the Singapore Derby, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, and the Grand Singapore Gold Cup, celebrating notable individuals, racehorses, and milestones from its 182-year heritage.
Our team explored a wide range of resources, gathering information from local newspaper archives, the National Archives of Singapore, the National Museum of Singapore, including visits to the library and the Club’s own collection. We provided this research to Jack Morton and the design team, collaborating with them to craft narratives that tell the unique stories of each race while highlighting key figures and moments.
On 18 May 2024, the Club staged its final Kranji Mile as it enters the homestretch of its racing history. The inaugural Heritage Walk was launched, highlighting the key miletones of the Kranji Mile race and capturing its evolution into one of the most prestigious events in the annual racing calendar. Bilingual display panels lined the walkways leading to the Grandstand, welcoming racegoers who came to witness the final 1600m turf race with a prize purse of $1 million.
Kranji Mile Historical Fun Fact: New Zealander Donna Logan was the first and only female trainer to win in the Kranji Mile with Minister in 2021.
Above: audience engagement at the Singapore Turf Club’s final race day on 5 October 2024. Images courtesy of the Singapore Turf Club, Megan Lee and Lynn Wong.
As one of Singapore’s oldest feature race, the Singapore Derby has evolved significantly since its inauguration in 1880. In conjunction with the final Singapore Derby race on 21 July 2024, the panels traced its journey from Farrer Park in 1880, to Bukit Timah in 1959, and Kranji in 2000, highlighting the legendary jockeys, trainers, owners, and horses that have shaped its 140-year history.
Singapore Derby Historical Fun Fact: Vanitas, only three-time winner of the Singapore Derby, was also the first Singapore-trained horse to win the Viceroy Cup in India.
The Queen Elizabeth II Cup was inaugurated in 1972 to honour the late Queen Elizabeth II’s first official visit to Singapore, recognising her passion for racehorses. On 7 September 2024, the accompanying panels showcased the inaugural race, with the Queen presenting the winning prizes, and traced the race’s evolution, including her second visit in 2006.
Queen Elizabeth II Cup Historical Fun Fact: During the Queen’s second visit to the Club in 2006, the winning horse was aptly named King And King.
The grand finale, the Grand Singapore Gold Cup, was held on 5 October 2024, featuring a prize of $1.38 million and run over 2000m. A specially curated Heritage Walk chronicled the evolution of the Singapore Gold Cup through bilingual informational panels, highlighting significant milestones and achievements. It emphasised historically significant feature races – Kranji Mile, Singapore Derby, and Queen Elizabeth II Cup, before culminating in a focus on the Grand Singapore Gold Cup.
Singapore Gold Cup Historical Fun Fact: On 24 October 1999, the Singapore Gold Cup was run for the first time at the new Kranji Racecourse. To celebrate this occasion, the prize money was increased from $750,000 to $1million, marking the Cup’s first million-dollar prize purse.
Take a stroll along the Heritage Walk in the video below, showcasing the culmination of collaborative efforts by our team at History Ink, the Singapore Turf Club, Jack Morton, Weber Shandwick and CraveFX – from research and design to writing. It was an honour to celebrate the Club’s rich heritage together and be part of this historic moment in Singapore’s story.
