Italian Cup race set for Sunday

By Windsor Lass

We are fast approaching the OBTS Sales Weekend starting off with the Annual Yearling Sales on June 27 to be followed by the OBTS Sales Day on June 28. The Annual Yearling Sales is sponsored by Lesukut for which we are extremely grateful but that is not all. The Pharmaceutical Company is adding another Sh100,000 to the OBTS Sales Race and another Sh50,000 to the Owners/Breeders Race. What would we do without Lesukut and their dedicated owner Mim Haynes?

We must also bear in mind the Breeders without whom we would have no racing, also not forgetting the Buyers who steadfastly support the sport.

I was pleased to read in the English "Times" that finances are looking up in England which, of course, reflects on our country out here. Such is the fine reputation we have for our yearling sales, Graham Hawkins, one of the top auctioners in South Africa has confirmed he will come up and do the auctioneering on June 27.

In addition a lady from Zimbabwe — Mrs Biz Buckler, has sent up five yearlings to be auctioned on our sale through David Armstrong who is acting on her behalf.

This Sunday, there will be two feature races — The Italian Cup, which will be presented by the Deputy Head of Mission, Italian Embassy, Mrs Caligaro Laura.

The Italian Day is significant to Kenya as Flavio Briatore and his wife Elisaetta have a flat in Malindi which they use as a retreat from their busy schedule.

Mr Briatore is the Formula 1 Racing Boss and one day perhaps we could get the Italian Ambassador to entice him to attend a race meeting in Nairobi! Before signing off, may I say how sorry I was to hear of the demiss of Victor Salle on June 10.

He was one of our hardest working Stewards of Racing before ill-health took over and to his wife and son our sincere condolences. Another stalwart who supported racing incessantly until he became unwell, Oscar de Melo, passed away on June 2.

Oscar was most helpful to my husband and I when we ran Limuru Races Meetings, always willing and always cheerful.