Gold Pot and Leslie win Duke of Manchester Cup at Racecourse

Gold Pot and Leslie Sercombe won the Duke of Manchester Cup to extend his good form on the sprints at the Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi on Sunday.

The four-year-old chestnut gelding part-owned by DT Dobie director Alexander Helfritz held off the challenge from Pharaoh’s Advocate to reign supreme. Other owners of Gold Pot are Justice Isaac Lenaola, David Gray and Dr. John Sercombe.

All the five horses who ran the Duke of Manchester Cup are trained by Dr. Patsy Sercombe who entered three four-year-olds and two aged five.

The  9-4 favourite displayed a leading run to win the 1,200m race in 1:10 and 6/10 minutes.

This was the horse’s first win since his last victory on October 20, 2019 when he claimed The Kenyatta Cup over the same distance.

The five-year-old bay horse- Pharaoh’s Advocate, owned by The Galloping Geriatrics was second with three and a half lengths behind Gold Pot. Navy Seal jockeyed by Richard Kibet which is also owned by TGG was third, trailing Pharaoh’s Advocate with six lengths to close the podium places.

Fast Five and Quickfire finished in the fourth and fifth positions respectively. 

Jockey James Muhindi won both the Koobi Fora Handicap (2,060m) and The Kariandusi Handicap (1,200m) riding Grace Kelly and Algy respectively.

Grace Kelly beat Besselton by two and three quarter lengths and Miss Zuri to the second and third places. On the other hand, Algy edged Peligroso to the second place by seven and a half lengths, while Tenacious was third, one and three quarter lengths.

Trainer Onesmas Mutua fielded all the four runners in the Brigade of Guards Trophy where Notorious carried the day, winning the 2,800m race in 3:13:2/10 minutes. Caen came home 11 lengths behind Notorious as Zodi West finished nine lengths later or the third place. Supreme Rock was fourth.