Penang Turf Club

Defunct race track in the Malaysian state of Penang

Penang Turf Club

Location| George Town, Malaysia
Coordinates| 5°25′04″N 100°17′58″E﻿ / ﻿5.4178°N 100.2994°E﻿ / 5.4178; 100.2994
Owned by| Penang Turf Club
Date opened| 1864; 161 years ago (1864)
Date closed| 2025; 0 years ago (2025)
Capacity| 14,000
Course type| Horse racing
Official website

The Penang Turf Club (abbrev. PTC) is a defunct horse racing track in George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. Established in 1864, it was the oldest of Malaysia's three turf clubs, alongside the Selangor and Perak turf clubs. The race track has a three-storey grandstand with a capacity of 14,000. In addition to its primary function as a venue for horse racing, the 118.1-acre (47.8 ha) race track includes a nine-hole golf course.

In 2024, members of the PTC approved a resolution to dissolve the club and list the race track for sale. The venue held its last horse race in the following year.

## History

[edit]

Founded in 1864, the PTC was the second oldest horse racing club in British Malaya, following the Singapore Sporting Club which was established in 1842.[1][2] David Wardlow Brown was the club's first president.[3]

The PTC originally received a land grant — provided free of charge by the Straits Settlements government — at Macalister Road for its first race track.[4][5] The race track, measuring nearly 1,621.8 yd (1,483.0 m), was located at the site of what is now St. George's Girls' School.[6][7] The PTC also maintained an office within the Government Offices at Weld Quay.[5]

The original race track on Macalister Road incorporated a section designated for a golf course.[5] The first structures of the track were constructed from wood and attap.[4] In 1900, new grandstands were added to the race track. From 1912 to 1928, it was considered the most modern race track in Malaya.[5]

In 1935, the PTC acquired the present-day 230-acre (93 ha) site at Batu Gantong.[8] The race track was relocated to the Batu Gantong site by 1939.[4][5] Horse racing continued to be permitted during the Japanese occupation, allowing the PTC to survive World War II unscathed.[5]

The 230-acre (93 ha) site comprises the 118.1-acre (47.8 ha) race track, which has a grandstand with a capacity of 14,000 and includes a nine-hole golf course, as well as six other land parcels surrounding the race track.[1][9]

### Dissolution

[edit]

In 2002, the PTC entered into an agreement with local property developer Abad Naluri for the sale of the race track. Abad Naluri had planned to build the RM25 billion Penang Global City Centre (PGCC), envisioned as a mixed-use development with commercial and residential components.[4] Public opposition to the project contributed to Pakatan Rakyat (predecessor to the present-day Pakatan Harapan coalition) seizing power from the incumbent Barisan Nasional in the 2008 state election. The PGCC project was eventually scrapped.[4][10]

In 2011, Berjaya Corporation acquired 23 acres (9.3 ha) from the PTC to develop the low-density residential neighbourhoods of Kensington Gardens and Jesselton Courtyard.[4][11][12] As interest in horse racing declined and financial difficulties mounted following the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2024, members of the PTC voted to dissolve the club and list the race track for sale.[4][13][14] At the time, the land and its associated properties were valued between RM2 billion and RM3 billion.[14] However, by the end of 2024, the club received no qualifying bids, prompting plans to subdivide the land into smaller parcels to attract more potential buyers.[1][4]

The last horse race at the PTC was held on 31 May 2025.[15] Following the closure of the PTC, the Perak Turf Club and Selangor Turf Club are the only operational turf clubs within Malaysia.[4][15]

## See also

[edit]

* Sport in Malaysia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Rosalynn Poh (24 Mar 2025). "Penang Turf Club to be sold in parcels — sources". The Edge. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
2. ^ Bonny Tan (Jan 2019). "Singapore Turf Club". National Library Board. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
3. ^ Hockton, Keith (2012). Penang: An Inside Guide to Its Historic Homes, Buildings, Monuments and Parks. MPH Group. ISBN 978-967-415-303-8.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Malaysia's oldest horse racing club to close, last race could be on May 31". Channel NewsAsia. 21 Apr 2025. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
5. ^ a b c d e f Cheah, Jin Seng (2013). Penang 500 Early Postcards. Editions Didier Millet. ISBN 9789671061718.
6. ^ "Our History". Penang Turf Club. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
7. ^ Alex Teng; Bernard See (3 Jun 2024). "Fate of fountain in limbo". The Star. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
8. ^ Khoo, Salma Nasution (2007). Streets of George Town, Penang. Areca Books. ISBN 9789839886009.
9. ^ "About Us". Penang Turf Club. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
10. ^ Chan, Xin Ying; Weiss, Meredith; Tricia Yeoh (23 Jul 2024). "The Business of Governing Penang: Workarounds as Remedy?". Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs. 43 (2) – via Sage Publishing.
11. ^ Sharen Kaur (8 Aug 2019). "BLand's Kensington Gardens taps luxury demand". New Straits Times. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
12. ^ Sharen Kaur (21 Jul 2024). "Berjaya Land unit unveils luxury homes in Georgetown". New Straits Times. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
13. ^ David Tan (20 Apr 2025). "Penang Turf Club votes to close, final race set for May 31". The Star. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
14. ^ a b Alex Teng (30 Mar 2025). "Penang Turf Club on final stretch". The Star. Retrieved 25 Apr 2025.
15. ^ a b Alex Teng (31 May 2025). "So lomg, after last furlong". The Star. Retrieved 5 Jun 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website