Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

Sideline Sid has become a keen observer of Singapore horse racing, with a miniscule share in a horse that has lined up on the Kanji track on a number of occasions in the last 12 months.

Horse racing in Singapore dates back to 1843, when Scottish merchant William Henry McLeod Read and a group of horse racing enthusiasts formed what is now known as the Singapore Turf Club.

The STC website tells us that the first race day was held on February 23, 1843, to mark the 24th anniversary of Singapore's founding by Sir Stamford Raffles.

Unlike New Zealand, where too many racing clubs are all chasing the same share of the punters dollars, Singapore Turf Club is the only horse racing club and authorised operator for horse racing activities on the island state.

The monopoly that the Singapore Turf Club enjoy on betting, on and off the course, plays a major hand in the STC providing stakes that Kiwi owners can only dream about.

It is the stake money that sets Singapore and New Zealand apart, with one win horses racing for $50,000, and further wins producing bigger pots of gold.

A bit over 12e months ago, Sideline Sid joined a Mount Maunganui RSA racing group that took a five per cent stake in a (then) three-year-old in the Te Akau Singapore race team.

Te Akau Racing stables have become the dominant force in New Zealand thoroughbred racing over recent decades, winning the trainers premiership and taking a stranglehold on the lucrative Karaka Millions race night.

In 2010, Te Akau Racing set up stables in Singapore, with Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker becoming a dominate force with four premierships.

"Our" horse, who has a stable name of Skier, provides a vivid contrast in the health of racing in the two countries, with the stake money on offer,

Te Akau Racing brought Skier out of Australia as a ready to go to the races proposition, with the Mount Maunganui RSA punters embarking on their first horse trained in Singapore.

There were plenty of early expectations after "Our" horse won back to back trials in the geldings early preparation.

However, horse racing quickly brings you back to earth, with the first two race day starts seeing the horse finish eighth and ninth.

Fifth in the third start gave the Mount RSA group a glimmer of hope, that started a run of form that has resulted one win, 3 seconds, 3 thirds and one fourth - with hopefully more to come.

With just a couple of hairs of the horses tail, there is little monetary reward for this owner, but not matter how small the share there is one hundred per cent of the thrills each time 'Our” horse steps out on to the track in Singapore.