Milnerton trainer and former Northern Cape champion, Corrie Lensley has relocated to the Vaal and expects to saddle his first runners towards the end of April.
Speaking to the Sporting Post from his Vereeniging base, and with his twelve horses safely in their boxes after a long trip on Monday, Corrie said that he had made the move from Milnerton to an area he was far more comfortable with.
Corrie Lensley
“I had to face the reality that I did not have the horsepower to saddle winners and earn a living in the Cape. I have put the experience down to a life lesson and can say that I left Cape Town richer for having met some wonderful people,” he said.
With Flamingo Park in its dying throes, the dual champion was invited to Milnerton by the KR board early last year.
He and his wife and Assistant Trainer Emmie Le Grange enjoyed the lifestyle on the Cape West Coast, but just never had the horses to be competitive.
They had made the move from Kimberley to the Cape ‘without stars in their eyes’ and were philosophical about a fresh start at the Vaal.
Corrie has trained plenty of winners on the turf in Gauteng and at Bloemfontein in the old days and his most memorable must be King’s Temptress, who won the 2012 Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery on debut at any price under Fanie Chambers
Corrie got into racing via his uncle, Boet Horn, a farrier and small-time trainer. His uncle introduced him to Pat Shaw’s father, Bernie and Charl du Toit, who trained for Frik Kroon. He says that his love for racehorses comes from old school conditioners like Willie de Beer and Nick Joubert.
He joined Bill Human, first as a stable employee and then as an assistant. Eighteen years ago he trained from Bloemfontein before moving to a private facility in Potgietersrus, raiding to Bloemfontein and Kimberley. “I used to drive my own truck. It was 780km there and 780km back, but I wouldn’t have done it unless I enjoyed it.”
