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With Ngong Racing about to resume October 7, Nation.co.ke caught up with Lesley Jane Sercombe one of the racing legends who began riding at a tender age.
At ten years old, Lesley knew that becoming a jockey was an absolute priority. Second prerogative, was learning veterinary skills.
Now 44, Lesley has fulfilled those ideals. Enlisting herself at Kabete University a few years ago, was a strenuous challenge, considering horse racing is physically demanding. Then, digging up motivation to absorb intricacies of chemistry, physics, and biology, is mentally exhausting.
Driving to Kabete after unsociable morning galloping commitments, lent itself to the stresses of traffic. So, Lesley thought a good idea would be to ride her mountain bike, and maybe avoid such obstacles.
Unfortunately, while it did save plenty idling hours, Lesley was struck by wayward motorists, even to the point of breaking her arm (for the umpteenth time).
She simply returned home unaccompanied, on the bike, in pain, as a lady endowed with enormous courage.
Patsy, sharply commandeered her daughter to Karen Hospital for immediate treatment. A minor chestnut, amid a volume of calamities that our Lesley has had to endure. Being such a resolutely determined young lady, she simply ignores adversities, carrying on relentlessly, with a smile on her dial.
Well educated at Banda, Hillcrest, and, St. John’s, Marlborough, Lesley is extremely interesting to gabble with, on any given subject.
She regards Italian Ace jockey, Frankie Dettori, among her list of heroes, both for his exquisite talents, and, charismatic aura.
Pre-eminence, of course, is lavished upon Patsy, and, John, whom she deifies. They are models of accomplishment in every aspect of animal welfare, being veterinary surgeons of specialist dimensions.
Patsy has been entrenched as undoubtedly the best trainer eternally, in Kenya – way over 20 championships.
She still manages to keep contact with several grand-children, courtesy of Lesley’s twin sister, Doctor Linda Thorpe, and, Vicky D’Arcy.
Both sisters have indulged with horses, in the past, but now only Linda enters show-jumping events at Jamhuri Park.
Ex-racehorses, Golden Ash, Cabin Fever, Antar Yami, and, Northern Frontier, are Linda’s chosen, few for this sport.
Lesley’s exploits have not stagnated in Kenya alone. She spread extra racing feathers successfully in India, Bangalore, Mysore, and, Zimbabwe.
Fearlessly sensible, she believes “anything is possible with effort, no matter what your age. Failure arrives when people cease to try. God granted me a gift to communicate with animals – specifically horses.
They tend to respond graciously to my wishes, without necessity for harshness. Thrills in winning races are pure, constant, tonics. Each strike, is as if it were the first. “
Lesley domiciles at the racecourse with six friendly dogs. They also need their constitutional walk at sunset, after intellectual absorption.
Her partner is continuously supportive of all Lesley’s strict adherences. University hours are arduously 8-5, most days, which is plenty than enough, without the already rigorous preparations of thoroughbreds.
As if that were not a tight docket, Lesley acquired an International Sports Science qualification as a personal trainer, which she squeezes in constructively, here and there.
“No talent or wit can beat kindness. It sits quietly beyond all things. The best way forward is to permanently keep attempting the impossible. Failure can only manifest when you and your heart give up,” says Lesley. “Life has to be lived by the minute. Round that corner does not exist. Thank God ad-infinitum,” she adds.
No particular selection of favourite horses, because, each decade seems to add on to a ceaseless list. Remember Simonstown, Warwickshire Lad, Harry Potter, Westonian? Now, Free Wheeler and White Dragon, are topping the charts.
Mrs Spenser has become the yard’s most prolific owner, slightly over-taking Mim Haynes on leader-board status. She was introduced to the Sercombe’s, by Venetia Philips in 2016.
Lesley burst upon Ngong with a mighty double of Apprentice, and Jockey championships. She has now accumulated another thirteen professional championships, to buckle Joe Diver’s long-standing record. Needless to say, Lesley is as humble as ever.
Fans would never realise how perilously ill she has been, contracting an auto-immune disease called Myasthenia Gravis. It requires permanent medication, for abatement of symptoms, but there is no cure.
You may recall how racing suffered for a whole year with no sighting of Lesley. The condition zapped her strength completely. It has softened her craziness of doing too much, or accepting rodeo rides.
Cognitive obligations, animals, criminal drama’s on TV, are pretty well what Lesley can handle. She unwinds with Rizzoli & Isles, CSI, things like that, before retiring. Lesley is confident that racing will thrive again as before.
The yard has reduced in size, but, magnified in quality. A few more South African youngsters are expected to be bought, adding to those bred locally.
Commenting on apprentices, Lesley feels they are a little wayward, but, it is only a process of their learning curve.
Regarding gallops, there is a huge improvement, with assistance from Oliver Gray. Father, John, is Clerk of the Course on Sundays.
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