Dan Meagher could find positives in a cloud of electrons. His beloved father, Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee John, has advanced dementia and no knowledge of his youngest son’s spectacular Singapore successes.

However, according to the conditioner of Group One Longines Hong Kong Mile outsider Lim’s Kosciuszko, it is a small mercy his dad does not know Lion City racing is on death row ahead of its scheduled execution in October 2024.

“If he knew Kranji was closing, he’d be the most heartbroken bloke in the world because Singapore holds a special place in his heart,” Meagher said.

“My grandfather was a prisoner of war at Changi. My dad is a war historian and a mad history buff. He moved to Singapore in 1999 to experience Kranji’s brilliant training facilities, but an equally big part was to see where his father fought, visit the grounds where he was based, go to Changi and so on.

“Singapore is part of my dad’s DNA. He loves this place so much. In 2016, when I received my licence to train at Kranji, he was rapt and so proud.

“He knows nothing about the place going bad because he’d already started to drift off into his dementia before it happened. I’m glad he doesn’t know.”

Six months ago, the Singapore government announced that 180 years of racing in the Lion City would end in October 2024, and it would repurpose the 120 hectares of land on which the Kranji racing and training facilities sit for other developments, including new houses and recreational spaces.

“I wish I knew what happened, but the fact of the matter is the Singapore government isn’t supporting racing any more, unfortunately,” Meagher said.

“The older generation, who were racing fanatics, have gone, and the government feels, for whatever reason, it’s better off closing Kranji and changing it into apartments, nature reserves and whatnot.

“There were rumours for about three or four weeks, then the Singapore Turf Club chief executive, Irene Lim, told us Kranji was closing in October 2024. Rumours are rumours, but during that 15-minute meeting, so many things went through my mind. I’ve got to move my family. I’ve got to move my horses. I’ve got to move my staff. There’s no future here.

“I’ve got 23 years of history in Singapore, but at the end of the day, my family has to move on to a new chapter in our lives. I’ve just turned 40. I’m married to a beautiful Singaporean woman, former jockey Sabrina Kadir, and we’ve got three young kids. We’ve got to think about where we’ll go.”

Australia is the likeliest long-term destination for Meagher – his big brother, Chris, trains a string of gallopers from his Brisbane base at Eagle Farm – but Hong Kong redemption for both Lim’s Kosciuszko and his perfectionist handler is the short-term focus.

Lim’s Kosciuszko shared the lead with Sight Success during the early stages of last year’s Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), but whereas John Size’s speedster kept motoring to beat all bar Wellington, Meagher’s charge compounded to finish 14th of 14.

According to Meagher, Lim’s Kosciuszko’s six-and-a-half-length Hong Kong Sprint defeat was the fault of neither the horse nor veteran rider Danny Beasley. It was 100 per cent attributable to trainer error.

“I went into that race thinking I’d prepared him the right way, but I did what trainers can do. I overthought the process,” Meagher admitted.

“I altered his training. I changed the Kranji track on which he worked. We’ve got one we call Hong Kong because it’s the other way round. I took him to that circuit, and he wasn’t used to it. I galloped him on the course proper, which I’d never do normally.

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“He went to Hong Kong and ran accordingly. He was disappointing. Both horse and trainer have learned from that experience. There’s no doubt about that.

“This time, I’ve done exactly what I’d do if he were racing in Singapore. I haven’t changed a single thing. It’s all routine, routine, routine.”

Meagher double nominated Lim’s Kosciuszko for this year’s Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), but Jockey Club head of racing product Greg Carpenter advised his compatriot to head to the Mile.

“Greg recommended the Hong Kong Mile would be the best race for Lim’s Kosciuszko,” Meagher said. “I respect Greg’s decisions. He’s handicapped 18 Melbourne Cups. He knows what he’s doing.”

Lim’s Kosciuszko has won six of his seven post-2022 HKIR starts over distances ranging from 1,200m to 2,000m, conceding lumps of weight to win the Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m) from barrier 16.

“What he’s done this year in Singapore, evidently against less quality horses than 15 years ago, has been not only record breaking but also amazing to watch. He’s done freakish things,” Meagher said of Lim’s Kosciuszko, whom Australian star Damian Lane will jump aboard in Sunday’s Hong Kong Mile.

“I know it’s Singapore form, but any horse who’s done what he’s done deserves respect. He’s a very, very good horse. Some people might think we’re mugs or kidding ourselves, but you’ve got to take these opportunities when they come your way.”