Horse racing: General Lee bosses Kenya Derby
James Muhindi, jockeying General Lee, is the 2021 Kenya Derby Race winner. Muhindi won in a race timed at 2:36:01 at the Ngong Racecourse on Sunday.
The 2400m meet saw Muhindi’s fillie from the Stewart McCann stable beat its nearest challenger All Over Again, jockeyed by Patrick Mungai, by a length and a third in the cold Nairobi weather.
The highlight of the derby was quite a spectacle between the top three especially from the 1600m mark.
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General Lee faced stiff competition from Patrick Kinuthia’s Class Action who incidentally had led the initial 1200m from the start.
In the mix was also Lake Galilee from the James Muya stable. The final 100m mark proved enthralling for the fans on the stands as the trio went head-to-head against each other with Muhindi having to use his experience to pull away by a tight margin and eventually win a maiden victory for local racing’s biggest and longest serving owner, Mary Binks.
“We ran a disciplined race against very formidable opponents. At the end of it all, it was about tactics and also taking chances the right way.
I am happy for the owners for having entrusted me with this ride and this victory is dedicated to them,” said an elated Muhindi after the award ceremony
In an earlier race, the Louis Cup covering 2800m saw Protus Kinuthia’s Coralline battle to the death against Daniel Tanui’s Miss Zuri in an epic race that was clocked at 3:13:03.
Kinuthia swept through the finish line first winning by a neck margin against the equally superb Tanui.
It all started slow but tactful for both runners in the long distance meet as the opening 1800m was about managing pace and strength.
