Horse racing in Kenya: Past and present

With the impending Derby Classic looming, come April 6, we chose to take you on a walk down 'Reminiscery Crescent.'

Kenya, the Horn, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, are currently the only countries to have sprouted big time, with horse racing. Even during World Wars 1/2, when contests of any denomination were forced to shut down, did we listen? Only to a degree.

A few scattered showers kept stalwarts pumping in Eldoret, Limuru, Machakos, Molo, Nakuru, and Thompson's Falls.

Kariokor is mentioned separately, as it was derived from being the 'Carrier Corps' troops station in the 1914-18 Great War.

Cricket is coded as a religion in India. Horse racing is the same here. It began formally in 1904, at Kariokor, under the auspices of the East African Turf Club.

But, courtesy of Pioneer, Lord Thomas Delamere, there were records tabled from as far back as 1897. Quite aside from emanation in 1904, the Norfolk Hotel also opened on Christmas Day.

Lord Delamere frequented the hotel with all his racing friends. One evening, he was asked politely to leave, well beyond closing hours. This provoked the Lord to lift a struggling manager and lock him away in a large fridge safe.

The Lord owned hundreds of horses during his stay at Soy Sambu, Elementaita, where Johnny and Valerie Limb were in charge of handling every aspect, including breeding.

There were plenty of stud farms at that stage, but now solely King Bruce Nightingale's ranch has been this domain at Kenana, since 1965. Originally a leading breeder of Friesian Dairy Cows with a herd of 300 cows Bruce, rallied smoothly into his Race Horse Stud.

Loyal wife and animal lover, Paddy, meanwhile provides employment to Kenana Knitters, which offers local women an opportunity to earn comfortably.

The initial seed was sown when Ponies were brought in from Abyssinia and Somalia. Akibai Mulla Jivanjee visited in 1889, never left, made millions through railway contracts, and then invested in racing at Machakos.

He launched the idea of buying stock from India. Jivanjee Gardens are named after him.

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Before hostilities simmered in 1945, it was David Bowden who inaugurated a plan to turn competitive racing, seriously professional. He leased land at Ngong, experimented to achieve perfectly accommodating grass, constructed stables, rails, gates, Grand-stands, and, planted foliage of every denomination, until the foetus of Ngong was born, January 1, 1954.

This course is scenically comparable to any on earth. We are unable to match the fancier facilities enabled at Ascot, Chantilly, Epsom, Longchamps, Meydan, Newmarket, and, such-like.

As an industry, directly or indirectly, at least 10, 000 beneficiaries are serviced financially. Uniforms, tickets, gardeners, medics, caterers, stalls, totalizator mechanics, maintenance, tailors, laundries - one cannot downplay the game's significance.

Characters have been rampant. The Erskine Dynasty, synonymous with racing since 1927, drilled sweetly when Sir Derek and Elizabeth cruised to Mombasa on honeymoon. They loved the country.

Sir Derek was the son of James Erskine, Tory MP for Westminster, which included Buckingham Palace. As a highly acclaimed Kings Dragoon Officer, he used his novel accent to stunning effect in speeches. Apart from business enterprises, Sir Derek was an overly keen sportsman, and, with his 6'4" height, could engineer Polo back-swings, tail-shots, hooks, goals, the lot, until well into his seventies. He would always use this quote: 'Intellectuals solve problems, but geniuses prevent them,' as a mandate for life.

We can't mention a particularly bizarre episode. While starting the Riverside Marathon from a tower, Sir Derek fired the gun. Apart from human runners, his own family pet ostriches were let loose as a joke.

Daisy and Gert escaped from their Riverside lodgings, and sped along Uhuru Highway, thus creating absurd traffic chaos. Sir Derek pursued them on foot, with others, for four miles. They succeeded in turning the ostriches back to base, avoiding police rifles.

It was Sunny and Marjorie Bumpas who introduced Sir Derek to thoroughbred racing. Instantaneously, he became addicted, rode, fell, owned, and contributed, enormously. Son, Francis, was Sanctuary Farm's Naivasha trainer.

He also indulged as an amateur, famously having a horrific accident at Tigoni when colliding with the recent decedent, Tony Abercrombie-Dick.

Tony was the most amusing person ever. He eclipsed equestrianism as an avid show-jumper, together with his devoted wife, Anne. As racing cultivated in his bloodstream, Tony became an owner, senior steward, supporter - and anything that was required of his expertise. 

Other prominent personalities have been the Migdoll's, Petkovic's, Sugden's, Scott-Mason's, Sercombe's, Severini's, Coogan's, Muya's, Bengough's, Garner's, Karari's, Fraser's, McCann's, Mary Binks, Mim Haynes, Buster Parnell, Vivien Prince, Aries Grammaticas, Carol Bremner, Anna Bhaloo, and a zillion other patriots.

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Gambling is synonymously linked to this sport. Forever, bookmakers have been Siamese twins with meetings, always providing those in the circle, competitive odds. Sadly, due to some uncontrollable formalities, bookies were abolished temporarily.

There are possible waves of them returning. Totalizator dividends have tried their best levels to keep punters busily entertained, although they depend on how much is invested.

With bookies, once a bet is made, that is a fixed rate. The little reward is furnished with odds-on winners. Now that large syndications are developing rapidly, wagering could be on the brink of a comeback due to popular demand. Derby Day is a pleasure trip for families. There is always an abundance of activities, pop-up markets, music, different eateries, the Muthaiga Club tent, face painting, an opportunity to overdress - you name it.  

Adding to its sophistication, various trainers usually invite an overseas jockey to assist in the overall picturesque Classic ambience. We have had Sir Lester Piggott, Willie Carson, Antony Murray, plus a host of others, over time. Saturday, April 5 at 8.00 pm local time, is the 4.5-mile Randox Grand National.

This is an hors d'oeuvre for Sunday, when Kenya's sublimest three-year-olds, group together over 2,400m, eager to astonish an anticipatory crowd. Sheriff John Stone, belonging to twenty-strong members, is currently garnering all the attention, after a stainless, masterful array of invigorating productions. This is a full-package thoroughbred with beauty, character, stamina, will to do well, poise, and courage. Nearer D-Day, we shall reveal all runners, thoughts, and invitational visitors.