RACE WITH A HEART
The spirit of generosity ruled at the Longines Singapore Gold Cup 2013 on the Singapore Turf Club's Annual Charity Race Day. Twenty-three charities received a total of $1.5 million.
As the third and nal leg of the prestigious Singapore Triple Crown Series, the Longines Singapore Gold Cup – a collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker and Singapore Turf Club – was a much-anticipated event on the calendars of both socialites and racing enthusiasts. Held at the Singapore racecourse on Nov 17 last year – its Annual Charity Race Day – it was indeed a Sunday afternoon to remember.
The guest of honour was former president S. R. Nathan and it was attended by over 400 VIPs and racing fans. All sat down to a sumptuous charity luncheon and dug deep into their pockets to make outright donations as well as bid for items such as a watercolour painting by Cultural Medallion holder Ong Kim Seng and a limited-edition La Grande Classique de Longines watch in a silent auction.
The attendees raised a total of $374,483 for Community Chest – a record high compared to last year’s $237,116.
Also paying it forward were Tote Board and Singapore Turf Club, which presented donation cheques totalling $1.5 million to 23 charities at the event.
Just as thrilling was the Longines Singapore Gold Cup race itself. The $1.35 million in prize money made it the hit of the local horse racing circuit.
The winning horse, Tropaios, with jockey Tommy Berry, started out last but emerged victorious in the nal 200m surge. In second place was Orakei Korako, ridden by Barend Vorster, and third was Dragonfly, ridden by Craig Newitt. There were more prizes to be won that afternoon in the annual Best Dressed Awards ards segment. Jackie Chew, clad in re-engine red and sporting a chic black fascinator, as s well as Brendan Kong, in a checked shirt, jacket and fedora, each won a timepiece.
Longines also presented Tropaios's owner Teo Ah Khing as well as trainer and jockey with watches from its latest Conquest Classic Collection that was inspired by early 1880s jockeys and racegoers in New York. 1. Team Tropaios: (from left) Trainer Michael Freedman, owner Teo Ah Khing and jockey Tommy Berry. 2. Amelia Michael, general manager of Longines Australia, with Tony Partridge, executive general manager of sales and commercial at Australian Turf Club. 3. Samuel Yong, vice-president of Longines Singapore, Jas Guo, assistant marketing communications manager of Longines Singapore, and Juan-Carlos Capelli, vice-president and head of international marketing at Longines. 4. Best Dressed Award winners Jackie Chew and Brendan Kong. 5. Host Nikki Muller. 6. Yukiko Toyoshima, marketing manager of Swatch Singapore.