SINGAPORE – On race days, Mr Ryohei Hatano rolls up his sleeves, jumps onto the starting gates and helps load horses in.

Every now and then, the cranky creatures stay rooted to the spot and do not jump.

The 41-year-old Japanese trainer now knows even more what it feels like to be left behind – a “non-starter” who loses a race before it even begins.

Like the 22 trainers at Kranji, Mr Hatano was shattered on June 5 when he heard that Singapore horse racing will be history after Oct 5, 2024 – or even earlier if, as feared by most observers, the industry implodes before then.

The former jockey is officially not one of the 22.

Mr Hatano was poised to join the select band of trainers in a matter of weeks. The Singapore Turf Club granted him a trainer’s licence in March, but the official start date for his first runners was set as July.

“The plan was to have my first runners next month. I was really looking forward to it,” he said.

“But what’s the point now? My dream was crushed before it even started.”

The Kyoto native had always dreamt of becoming a horse trainer since arriving from Australia 12 years ago.

Years of hard work behind the scenes as countryman Hideyuki Takaoka’s right-hand man and understudy eventually paid off.

He could finally call the shots, run his own stables. Mr Hatano was the right man at the right place, but at the wrong time.

“I have invested so much of my life into Singapore racing since I came in 2011 to work for Takaoka,” he said bitterly.

“I was told Singapore racing had a good future, and if I wait long enough, I can get a trainer’s licence one day. Even Takaoka suggested I stay longer as Singapore horse racing was really growing then. We had Friday and Sunday races.

“We had good horses like El Dorado and Better Life, and we won many Group races. My ex-boss in Australia even asked me to come back, but I turned him down.

“I was so happy when I got my licence. I already registered a company under my name, spent $300 on a yellow and black stable logo design, but had to cancel everything.”

He will at least remember 2023 for one happy event – he and wife Nao, who is in Hokkaido, are expecting their first child in August. His family was supposed to join him here, and he had applied for permanent residency, but the future is now uncertain.

While the closure does not impact the retiring Takaoka as much, the mentor feels the pain of his heir apparent.

“I feel so sorry for Ryo. He’s worked so hard for this – now all gone,” said the 67-year-old winner of 531 races at Kranji, including four Singapore Gold Cups.

“My plan was to hang around and go back home at the end of the year. But now that Ryo won’t train, I have to stay longer, I don’t know.

“My horses are also old – like me. How to keep going?”

At least Mr Hatano’s new bloodstock can tide his mentor over until racing’s fate is finally sealed.

“I had new local owners who bought five horses for me. But maybe I’ll race them under Takaoka’s name – if he carries on – or send them to other trainers,” said Mr Hatano.

“But to be honest, I have no mood, there’s no future.”

Other countries such as Malaysia, Macau and Australia have been bandied around as fall-back options for Kranji trainers. But, should Mr Hatano stay in racing, home is where the heart is.

“I’ve spent a long time overseas. I would rather bring my experience back to Japan – it’s my home,” he said.

“But to become a trainer there, it’ll take a long time again.”