Kranji Racecourse is situated approximately 14 miles from the centre of Singapore City and has the distinction of being the only racecourse in Singapore. The racecourse was officially opened on March 4, 2000 by the President of the Republic of Singapore and the inaugural running of the Singapore Airlines International Cup, still by far the most valuable race run at Kranji Racecourse, took place on the same day. In total, Kranji Racecourse plays host to 95 racedays throughout the year.
Course Characteristics
Kranji Racecourse consists of three left-handed, concentric oval tracks, the ‘Long Course’ and the ‘Short Course’ on turf and, since 2008, a synthetic, all-weather track inside the turf courses. As the name suggests, the Long Course is the longest of the three, with a circumference of a mile and a quarter and a home straight nearly three furlongs long. The Short Course is a furlong shorter in circumference and has a home straight just over two furlongs long, favouring agile, handy types. All three courses present a fair test, although over sprint distances horses drawn on the inside have a distinct advantage.
Track Facts
The Singapore Turf Club, formerly the Singapore Sporting Club, was founded in 1842.
Kranji is named after an indigenous leguminous species of tree, known as Keranji, or Kranji.
Ouzo, in 2000, is the only locally trained winner in the history of the Singapore Airlines International Cup.
The 2003 running of the Singapore Airlines International Cup was cancelled due to an epidemic of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus in Asia.