Cranleigh tipped as craft beer and cocktails festival rock Stewards’ Cup

The Ngong Racecourse will on Sunday host the inaugural Craft Beer and Cocktails Festival as the horses race for the Stewards’ Cup.

In what promises to be the biggest event of the 2022/23 season, prodigious crowds are expected to colour the penultimate race of the season, festooned in their sublime and glamorous fashion, with the who’s who of Nairobi and an international miscellany of models and DJ’s making the races the unmissable festival at Nairobi’s vogue couture venue.

The lineup of breweries, at what is unmistakably the best pop-up market in Nairobi, includes the award-winning 254 Brewing, the madly desired Crafty Chameleon, the unambiguous quality of Lekker, as well as Bila Shaka and Big Five Breweries, who will make their debut at the races.

Local favourite Geco Café bring their magic vibe together with the delectable Maurizio’s, the irresistible Fabio’s Pizza, and Le Decanter bringing champagne and bubbles to an event oozing with everything that racing in Kenya has been waiting to be.

Ollie Gray, one of the finest and most experienced trainers in Kenya, and a stalwart of racing, is giddy with excitement about where racing has grown into this season.

“I think it’s fantastic, it’s a hell of a turnaround! People are booking tables to be at the races like it’s the hottest ticket in Nairobi and now we have a party atmosphere like you can’t imagine. It’s the place to be,” Gray said.

The euphoria of what racing has become and been reinvigorated to be has spilled over to the jockeys, who are enthralled with the crowds and the jamboree which they feel mimics racing in other parts of the world.

Championship leading jockey Lesley Sercombe said: “It’s amazing. There’s an energy around the track and it’s unreal.” Speaking about her clash with James Muhindi for the 2022/23 championship, Sercombe said her interests are more aligned with the long-term success of racing than personal triumph.

“Winning the championship would be am amazing feat but I am not worried about winning. It’d be amazing if I win and it’d be amazing too if Muhindi wins since no matter who it is, it’s great for racing,” she added.

With only two race meetings left in the season and plenty of prizes up for grabs, the fixtures have a little extra fervour, with everything at the fingertips of the bold and the wise for those with dreams of honours.

The running gets underway at 1:30 pm with the 1800m Belinda Bowl, which should belong to the class horse in the lineup, Cranleigh, ridden by Henry Muya. The 1600m Warwickshire Lad Handicap at 2:05 pm has Twyford as the most consistent and likely to prevail horse but Jordan River could surprise the field and is the gambler’s pick.

The longest race of the day is the 2800m Louis Cup at 2:40pm with all four runners belonging to trainer Joe Muya, and Chipping is the favourite, once again ridden by Henry Muya.

The 1400m Kalahari handicap at 3:15 pm will hopefully see the much anticipated Coffee Break, a recent purchase from South Africa, take to the track, and though yet to run in Kenya, is the punters’ choice.

The 1200m Stewards Cup at 3:50 pm could be the best race of the season with 1000m record holder Century Fox, owned by Mim Haynes, pitted against 1400m record holder Saint Moritz, owned by Lady Spencer. It what is expected to be a fast race, this clash of the titans has the potential for a new record.

The final race of the day is the 1200m Prince of Wales Trophy which will be hard to split between Marlow and Maria, but the former has the form. Jamaican Rum is, once again, the outside bet and punters' choice.