Leslie Sercombe stable steals show at Stewards Cup
By Barry Silah, August 8, 2021
Leslie Sercombe led a podium finish for Patsy Sercombe’s stable Sunday at the highlight 1200m Stewards Cup-George Drew Challenge Series at the Ngong Racecourse.
The short distance race had only four runners but the pace and competition therein was exciting.
The meet done in a time of 1:10.8 seconds had Patrick Mungai’s Firing Line lead for about 600m before a shift took place with Gold Pot jockeyed by the veteran Sercombe took over at the 400m mark with steady running.
From then on it became a battle between stablemates Gold Pot and Firing Line who had begun inching closer from the wider lane but to no avail as Sercombe crossed the line first by a gap of three lengths with Richard Kibet’s South African breed emerging third with a nine lengths gap from the winner.
In the 2400m Brighton Bowl, James Muhindi came through first in the energy sapping race that was clocked at 2:44.1. His gap of four and a quarter was just about enough to earn Respectable Jud who had a 2/1 odds prior to the race.
In second place was Miss Zuri off Josephat Kultiang. Thevfilloe owned by James Muya was strong from the word go but faded on the final 1200m as Muhindi pushed his mixed breed finely on the track.
The gap between Miss Zuri and third-placed Supreme Rick jockeyed by Paul Kiarie was a further five and a quarter length with Daniel Ranui’s Chyulu Hills a disappointing last.
Meanwhile in the 1800m Spanish Cup, Paul Kiarie’s Deodoro just scraped through ahead of Richard Kibet’s Steel Drum in a titanic finish in the race timed at 1:56.7.
The gap between the pair was a meagre three quarters length at finish in what was almost a photo-finish.
Third place in the race was Josephat Kultiang atop La Cha Cha, two and a half length gap off the front, as Free Dawn by Leslie Sercombe was a surprising forth as highly tipped Grace Kelly jockeyed by James Muhindi was fifth despite having a strong 5/4 odds on the punters’ book.
In the final 1800m length Drap D’Or Trophy ,Frankie jockeyed by Leslie Sercombe won a tight contest against Protus Kinuthia’s Anjoli in what was declared by stewards as a neck win for the former.
This was the second win of the day for Sercombe with Richard Kibet riding Quasar coming in fourth as highly tipped General Lee fell through to finish last in the race that was timed at 1:55.3.