Singapore Turf Club

I was at the Turf Club yesterday.

And it wasn't because of some special function, or that I frequent it, but rather through some network, I was there.

So here's how I see the whole 'show'.

Horse racing is A very big business. It is not as crowded as many thought it to be, simply because the whole Turf Club is HUGE. Carparks are ample, and there's seats for everyone.

The whole horse betting is not for those without connections to the horse owners, or those with little money to spare. Simply because many uncertainties can happen in determining whether you win or lose, and because every race lasts simply in about 3 minutes. So if you do not have money-power, be prepared to lose your pants off.

Each bet starts very low at S$5 onwards. You can bet under WIN or PLACEMENT category. Win means you bet for that particular horse to come in first, while placement means you bet it to come in the first 3 positions.

And not every time the hot favorite wins. Just yesterday, two hot favorites lost their favors - one used too much power and couldn't catch up in the end, while the other didn't race because she hurt herself.

Each race displays the rule of winning so blatantly. The winning jockey stands up straight, with reporters interviewing, while all the rest walked off, head hung low. All attention went to the winner, and forgot all about the effort spent by other jockeys (maybe even more), despite not winning. There wasn't word of encouragement, there was just simply the win-or-lose attitude.

I'm naive perhaps, to think there should be still some element of encouragement somewhere. After all, life is not always about winning isn't it? But sadly speaking, this is a hard fact of life, and it happens everywhere: in the corporate world, at home, even in social places.

And the Turf Club is also a place where the rich and the not-so-rich do not mix at all. They each gather at different places, and are treated differently.

Perhaps, that's really an epitome of life all displayed in the Turf Club.