Exploring the Singapore Turf Club’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup Heritage Walk

Singapore Race Course 1881, courtesy of the Wellcome Collection

History Ink has been featured in the Singapore Turf Club’s (STC) Press Release in anticipation of its Queen Elizabeth II Cup Heritage Walk exhibition, which will take place on 7 September 2024.

The race meeting is a historically significant feature race in STC’s Homestretch Celebrations, and a unique opportunity to honour STC’s heritage as Singapore’s home of horse racing for over 180 years.

The QEII Cup pays tribute to both the sport of horse racing and Singapore's rich racing heritage.

The inaugural QEII Cup was held on 20 February 1972 during the late Queen Elizabeth II's first-ever state visit to Singapore, accompanied by the late Prince Philip and Princess Anne. It was a commemorative moment when STC hosted a race named in her honour, drawing close to 26,000 spectators. The inaugural race which took place at the Bukit Timah Racecourse was won by legendary English jockey, Lester Piggott and the Ivan Allan-trained top galloper, Jumbo Jet.

Working closely with colleagues Helen Swinnerton and Megan Lee, History Ink’s Amelia Allsop was engaged by the STC as archivist and historian to document the club’s rich history. Interviewed by the club, she said: “The Queen Elizabeth II Cup serves as a testament to Singapore’s historical ties with the British. Inaugurated in 1972, the race was created to honour the late Queen Elizabeth II’s first state visit to Singapore. Her second visit in 2006, 34 years later, further cemented the Cup’s significance and her enduring relationship with Singapore”.