ITV Racing presenter Francesca Cumani has delivered goggles and breeches donated by the likes of Hollie Doyle and Derby-winning jockey Adam Kirby to less well off riders in Kenya.
Cumani flew to Nairobi last week with a swag bag full of riding goggles, breeches and silk hats which had been collected from the members of the weighing rooms in Britain.
She handed out sets of autographed goggles and riding breeches which were snapped up by the grateful Kenyan jockeys at Ngong racecourse during the trip filmed by World Horse Racing.
“Before I came out to Kenya, I was told that it’s not all that easy for the jockeys to get the equipment they need, including one jockey coming out to ride in a pair of 1980s Oakleys that he found in the local market,” she said.
“So I asked Adam Kirby, who lives near me at home, to have a whip-round amongst the jockeys in England. And look at this, I have got quite the haul, including a lot of goggles all signed.”
Doyle, Luke Morris, Jamie Spencer, Cieren Fallon and David Probert were among those who gifted their gear, with one of the Kenyan’s remarking to colleagues. “You know Hollie Doyle? She’s shining right now.”
James Muhundi, Kenya’s champion jockey in 2022, said: “Thank you very much for your support. We are very encouraged and we are going to try to get to the same level as your standard.”
