Welcome to my event article on the Queen Elizabeth II Cup 2024. The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is one of the most prestigious events in horse racing. Open to horses aged three years and above, the race has evolved into a lead-up to the Singapore Gold Cup. Covering a distance of 1800m, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup is now a weight-for-age race with a prize purse of $300,000, attracting top-class horses and jockeys.
The finest racehorses have long legs and powerful muscles, traits that evolved in the wild for speed and endurance. Over time, breeders selected the leanest horses to develop racing breeds known for their sleekness and swiftness, focusing on traits that enhance speed and agility.Race information all displayed at the huge screens at the club for punters.The average racehorse weighs about 454 kg. Quarter Horses can sprint at speeds over 88 km/h, while Thoroughbreds, known for middle-distance racing, reach speeds of 64 km/h. All racehorses share the same official birthdate : January 1st. The race day programme listed 11 am as the opening, but I arrived at 11:15 am and wondered, “Why is it so deserted?” Then I saw the racecourse board: “Time to race – 90 mins.” I was 1 hour and 15 minutes early.There is a reason why our government does not allow full CPF withdrawal upon reaching maturity age. 95% of the punters here are senior citizens.It’s a business that revolves around money.The attendees are mostly seniors and ignored the venue’s smoking regulations. They’re there to spend money, and as I overheard a few times, they joked, “My legs are almost in the grave.” So, why would they care about the no-smoking signs?To maintain a low weight week after week, some jockeys resort to extreme measures, including strict diets, laxatives, appetite suppressants, saunas, hot baths, and diuretics for fluid loss.Each horse in a race must carry a set weight, so jockeys weigh out before the race to ensure they and their gear are at the correct weight. After the race, they weigh in with their kit to confirm the horse carried the proper weight. Once all jockeys are weighed, the commentator announces, “Weighed in. Weighed in.”These looked like “horsewives” of the horse owners.The race commences. It almost felt like an F1 event except it had 1 horsepower per rider.In horseracing, jockeys use the whip for both safety and to encourage the horse to run faster, helping them maintain or improve their position in the race. This trio is on the “final stretch” of the race.A jockey’s riding position can contribute to injury, as they rely on their legs for grip, stability, and balance instead of sitting directly on the horse.This unique riding posture may increase the risk of injury in certain situations. This forces them into a forward lean, creating a forced static posture over the horse.
Conclusion
The impending closure of the Singapore Turf Club inspired me to capture a piece of Singapore’s horse racing scene. The Queen Elizabeth II Cup 2024 leads to the 100th Grand Singapore Gold Cup on October 5th, 2024. Keep an eye on the STC Facebook page for potential free tickets. This marks the final race before horse racing exits Singapore. Footnote – All the pictures used in this article are copyrighted to Jensen Chua Photography
