12 Sunday, October 21, 2012 racingpost.com WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Rodney Masters catches up with jump jockey-turned-carpenter Gino Carenza

Jets gave me that bridge.” Building solid In doing so he was putting down the foundations of a childhood ambition. “I’ve always wanted to foundations build my own house, from start to finish, and I was keen to learn a trade that would help fulfil that. for the future “Although I’m still some way short of the necessary finance to buy a plot of land on which to construct my own T 6ft 3in, Gino Carenza place, I’ve plenty of experience in all has the ideal build for his the woodwork that’s required, from second career rather than joists, roof timbers, doors, window A his first. Now a self- frames and banisters. There’s lots of employed carpenter sub- woodwork involved in a house.” contracted to house building projects, He served a two-year he can reach those lofty places where apprenticeship and has been busy former colleagues would require a ever since. Next on his books is a ladder. large-scale renovation project at Carenza’s time as a jockey became a Name Gino Carenza Age 30 Snowshill in Gloucestershire. “Most of daily torture as he strived to shed my work is around the Cotswolds and Winners 50 weight. He has settled at a Worcestershire. I get tremendous job comfortable 14st 7lb, which is more or When at large 1999-2006 satisfaction at the end of a project, less right for his height. Greatest achievement A treble knowing it’s going to be there for “My final ride was at Towcester on at Catterick in 2003 many decades to come.” Bishop’s Bridge who had 11st 9lb and I Having moved from Swindon, he was on a 1lb saddle,” he remembers. lives in Broadway in the Cotswolds. “As a teenager I’d ridden on the Flat at Jockeys’ Employment and Training He remains in touch with several 9st 3lb. Back then I looked like a Scheme, with the brief that his first former colleagues, including Gerard hat-rack stand. I see some of the tall choice would be to serve an Tumelty, Dominic Elsworth and lads riding and I know what apprenticeship as a carpenter. Wayne Hutchinson. punishment they’re experiencing, or “Lisa Delany and her team were With rules more flexible than they are likely to before long. Believe me, brilliant and got everything organised once were, under some circumstances you have to go through it to truly for me,” he says. “I was always aware former professional jockeys can appreciate what it’s like because it’s my second career was going to last a regain amateur status. The thought not just about being hungry.” good deal longer than my first and I has not crossed his mind. “If someone Realising he was on borrowed time think that applies to all jump jockeys, offered me £10,000 to ride at 12 stone as a jockey, Carenza – his grandfather no matter how successful they are. in a point-to-point the answer would : has potential to make an impact at Group 1 level is Italian – signed up with Jets, the “It’s imperative to plan ahead and be no. I’ve had my fill of wasting.” I GOTTA HORSE SCOUTING REPORT Rodney Masters speaks to Devon permit-holder Sarah Kerswell Racing Post Ratings two-year-old expert Simon Turner picks four to keep on side from Future Champions Day Mare’s return S THE best horse since Racing Post Ratings has marked key began exits the stage, so A the search for a new star begins. ended his star potential turning point two-year-old career winning the Dewhurst Stakes and, while it’s unlikely we’ll see anything of his like upped in trip Horse Romance Dance Wins 2 again in the next decade, there were Owner Sarah Kerswell colts with genuine Classic potential on show at this year’s edition of Best moment Returning with a win Future Champions Day at Newmarket future star, and he took another step after a 20-month injury layoff last Saturday. Here, I’ve highlighted forward when battling on well to see OTHER-OF-THREE the claims of four of them. off a host of interesting rivals. An RPR Sarah Kerswell reveals Dawn Approach of 107 is highly unlikely to be the limit of his and if making the that accepting an offer The obvious starting point is this from out of the blue to Sarah Kerswell (left) with Romance Dance at Newton Abbot anticipated progress, Trading Leather M season’s leading juvenile on RPRs, has the potential to make an impact at take on the ownership Dawn Approach (123). It may not Group 1 level. of Romance Dance changed her life. of juggling, but Mum and Dad [Harry years travelling horses for Mark earn marks for originality, but this And the mare may continue to bring and Jill] are brilliant,” says Kerswell, Pitman during the Monsignor days. horse stands clear of his peers and Eye Of The Storm about further changes as a win in a adding that she was not surprised by She was married to Pitman’s either of his last two solid efforts In behind Trading Leather there were handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot the Newton Abbot result. conditional jockey Liam Corcoran and would put him bang there in an several interesting and exciting last month drew attention from afar “I’ve a very stiff four-furlong they set up their own training average renewal of the 2,000 prospects in a race likely to provide a to the skills of the Devon owner/ woodchip gallop and she’d been operation at the farm, where the team Guineas. His odds for Newmarket – a selection of important three-year-old permit-holder. tanking up there with me.” included Romance Dance. When they course at which he is already proven – winners. Eye Of The Storm (99) has Backed into 12-1 (from 20), That success led to three phone divorced, Corcoran moved to have understandably tightened to 4-1 yet to warrant a three-figure RPR, but Romance Dance made much of the calls from owners asking if she would Somerset, she reverted to her maiden in recent days, but he still represents it’s surely just a matter of time. Aidan running and held off her nearest be willing to upgrade from a permit name and Romance Dance moved to fair value. It’s not hard to envisage O’Brien’s heavy-ground Galway challenger to win by a head. It was to a public licence to take on their Philip Hobbs. Dawn Approach winning at maiden winner shaped really well the mare’s first run since damaging a horses. Her reply was no, at least for “Some time later, the owner offered Newmarket and becoming a major from the rear and finished with tendon at Wincanton in January 2011, the time being, because this is a solo the mare to me and I couldn’t resist player for all the big 1m and 1m2f something left in the closing stages in when trained by Sophie Leech. training operation. having her back,” she adds. “I’m so Group 1s. third. Kerswell’s life is a busy one. Apart “I’m happy with my life as it is. I’ve glad I did. It was an important from bringing up Aidan (eight), Liah only myself to answer to. The horses turning point for me. Sophie Leech Trading Leather Galileo Rock (six) and Rian (five), she has four thrive here because they spend lots trained on the farm for a couple of Jim Bolger has another top prospect Further back in fifth place was horses in training on her family’s of time turned out and they can roam seasons before moving back to on his hands in the shape of Autumn Galileo Rock (95), making minor 300-acre sheep and cattle farm near about the yard as it’s totally enclosed. Gloucestershire and our mare won a Stakes winner Trading Leather. This progress in terms of racecourse Kingsbridge in Devon. Romance They seem wonderfully relaxed.” maiden hurdle for Sophie at year’s edition of the 1m Group 3 prize attainment from his hugely Dance was her second runner since Kerswell says that Romance Dance Southwell in the spring of 2010.” was packed full of high-potential impressive maiden success at taking out a permit. Her first, Magical brought her back into racing at a time Romance Dance will shortly be types with the scope to go on and do Leopardstown. David Wachman’s colt Legend, won at 25-1 at Stratford in when she was undecided about her schooled over fences. “She’s game and well next year and the winner looks a is a half-brother to July. future. She had worked for David willing and I think she’ll do well as a horse to take seriously when upped in winner Saddler’s Rock and is likely to “With the children and the horses Barons as a teenager, then Jonjo chaser. She came out of the Newton trip. His two runs in Ireland do considerably better as his stamina my life is full-on and things take a bit O’Neill and Paul Nicholls before five Abbot race in excellent order.” highlighted the son of Teofilo as a is tested.