Boomz. Ker-chnngg! Or so I thought. When I saw the name of the racehorse, Boomz, at the Emirates Singapore Derby 2013. How to lose, sure to hit a new high, on the word made famously viral by now infamous Miss Ris Low, no?
Beh Sai. What punters curse and swear in dialect for when the racehorse comes in at tail end. Almost last.
Everything else, though, was first. First class rather. At the annual Emirates Singapore Derby in the Singapore Turf Club at Kranji.
It is a time-honoured classic event in the racing calendar and 2013’s is the winning airline’s 18th outing in excitement and atmosphere and especially anticipation.
For one Sunday every July, be sure to take the train, hitch a ride, catch a bus, to the Singapore Turf Club in Kranji as Emirates pulls out all the stops to ensure guests and bettors have a grand old time.
Hats, horses, hare mee, hallelujah. Fascinators, fillies, colts, foals, nags, warhorses, all turn out in their Sunday Derby best. Yes, and the racehorses too.
You can go down to the parade ring and watch syces and ostlers (very useful words for Scrabble by the way) and jockeys and horses do the trot and the canter.
Listen to punters’ asides:
“Boh lat” (doesn’t look strong) and “Pai see” (naughty or frisky).
Take your cue and place your bet.
Next stop, the buffet station (for guests and donation tables in the Committee Box). Lunch is laid on at 1pm and tea at 4pm. All very civilized as bobbing hats and fascinators tuck into local and western makan.
In between the judges weave, taking notes on the annual best-dressed to the races competition. This year’s judges were Mrs Celeste Basapa, society fundraiser, Miss Catherine Ng, GM Affluent Media, Miss Kim Reyes, Editor StylexStyle.
The main race, with its purse of S$1.15m was won by Better Life.
Well, Emirates is the better airline…
