'It's quite a cold feeling' - trainer Stephen Gray on the shock news racing will end in Singapore next year

Singapore-based Stephen Gray has earned a reputation beyond the island state for his international campaigning of horses such as Lim's Cruiser and Emperor Max. Here the New Zealand-born trainer gives his honest take on the bombshell news that racing is to cease in Singapore and the ensuing cost that he fears will be borne by both people and the horses

It’s devastating news. I came here 23 years ago and was the youngest trainer to join the rebadged Singapore racing. I’ve been here through the whole process and I never thought it would end this way. It’s quite a cold feeling.

We were called in at 1pm to be told the last race meeting would be in October 2024 and that’ll be it. The land will be taken by the government and redeveloped.  There had been a decline in racing here over the last six years and Covid certainly didn’t help but a lot of owners, jockeys and trainers stuck it out. And personally I’ve seen great signs in the last six months that it was growing again.