Penang Turf Club
Scotland Road, Penang

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The Penang Turf Club is located along Jalan Scotland, covering prime real estate at the edge of George Town. I fed the horses of the Penang Turf Club yesterday. Below is the receipt for RM10 worth of fodder. I thought it was going to be my ticket to fabulous wealth. But when Horse No.8 was absent from the first three placings, I realised my odds of strike it big at the races is pretty dim.



Penang Turf Club.

I must thank the Penang Heritage Trust for organising this visit to the Penang Turf Club. It was my first visit to this distinguished (distinguish is entirely a matter of opinion, in this case, mine) institution, and from the look of it, it will be quite some time before my next outing there. As site visits go, this must rank as one of the more unusual. Out of hundreds of members, only 65 were lucky enough a spot. The rules were quite strict: no cameras, no mobile phone, and to maintain the institution's elite position, there was a dress code in place requiring gentlemen to don lounge suits. Lounge suits? I believe many of us actually had to look that up in the dictionary. Whatever the requirements, I was determined to make this visit. It isn't everyday that I get to visit the Penang Turf Club. Now that plans are afoot to move the club to Batu Kawan on the mainland, I had better check it out before it moves.

For those lamenting the move, I must remind that the Penang Turf Club has not always been at Batu Gantong. The history of the Penang Turf Club dates back to 1864. Apart from the Singapore Turf Club, this is the oldest club of its kind in Peninsula Malaysia. The earliest horse racing turf in Penang was on a field along Macalister Road. As I drive down the road past the St. George's Girl School and looking to my right, I can imagine a race in progress.

We arrived at the Club at 2:00pm, sixty-five members of the Penang Heritage Trust decked out in their Sunday best. Every one was sweating under the blazing sun, especially Magdelene, who was practically melting away. I avoided donning my coat at all cost. After paying the entrance fee of RM5, we were ushered into the air-conditioned member's lounge area. It affords a superb view of the race course. Beyond the wooded grounds is the city of Georgetown, and its high rise building could be seen peeking out from the distance. Directly below us was the public gallery. As I surveyed the crowd below in their casual attire, I got the sense of class segregation that is still apparent in this institution.

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We were given a lesson on betting. Frankly, it sounded very confusing to me - which pretty much cemented my notion that a career in betting horses is not for me. But for the fun of it, I put RM10 on Horse No. 8 on Race 1. It has the best odds. I don't really know when Race 1 actually started, because all of a sudden, the horses were running and it was soon finish before I was aware of it. My No.8 horse was nowhere in the first three placings, so the hope of striking it big has to be shelved to another day. Meanwhile, there was a commotion among the PHT organisers, so I went over to check out. Apparently, the tour could only be provided to ten of the visitors, so the organisers was having a tough time determining who would the ten be. This was a regretful episode, and certainly no the fault of the organisers, as they were not informed beforehand. When the tour began, I was quick enough to simply join in.

Tea with a view: scene of the Penang Turf Club from a patio.

Mr Robin Rizal Tan, general manager and secretary of the Penang Turf Club conducted the tour. We began by visiting the prize giving area. Next we were taken to the paddock where the horses were warmed up prior to the race. We learned how jockeys are paired to the horses. Many of the horses are imported, primarily from Australia. Some of the jockeys are also foreign. Before and after a race, the horses are randomly selected for dope test. This practise is now extended to include the jockeys as well. To test the horses for drugs, blood and urine samples are taken from the horses. To induce them to urinate, the horses are taken to a cold room.

Chung Thye Pin's Fountain

Next we were taken to the grand stand where we have an alternative view of the race course. I could see a fountain down below, so I asked Mr Rizal Tan if that was the fountain of Kapitan China Chung Thye Pin. Chung Thye Pin, the last Kapitan China of Perak, was an avid horse enthusiast. He donated the fountain to the turf club in 1904, when the club was still at its old location at Macalister Road. It was transferred to its present location when the club relocated. I was keen to learn about this association with Chung Thye Pin, as I have recently concluded a research on his father, the Kapitan China Chung Keng Kwee (read Hai Kee Chan, http://www.asiaexplorers.com/malaysia/haikeechan.htm). Mr Rizal Tan was not sure about that, but he said it was the only fountain at the turf club. Historian Khoo Salma Nasution happened to also join the tour, so I reconfirmed with her that that is indeed the Kapitan's fountain. Race 2 took place while we were on the tour. When the race was finish, Mr Tan led us to the area where the winning horse was brought up. After that, we visited the administrative office. I noticed a room given away as a museum to keep memorabilias and trophies.

We returned to the Grand Stand member gallery, to face a group of enormously disappointed participants who had no chance to follow the tour. They were cooped up at the Grand Stand area, and many voiced their disappointment, as they had joined the visit expecting to be able to join the tour, just like the dozen or so luckier ones.

If it's any consolation, we did not see much. As we were prohibited from taking photographs, I am not able to take any shots of the tour. Nevertheless, through my personal connections, I was able to photograph the turf club from its neighbourhood.

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