AFTER fulfilling his racecourse dream, Leon Nurse has vowed to keep in shape in case another opportunity to race-ride comes up.

The 52-year-old Basingstoke cricketer, who has undergone a hip replacement, finished sixth of 10 starters in a charity flat race at Plumpton, East Sussex, on Monday.

Included in a celebrity field were super-model Jodie Kidd and former professional jump jockey Brendan Powell.

Nurse, who designed his own racing silks, partnered Cadwallader in a bid to raise money for spinal research and also show black kids in England that progress in racing is possible.

In the early stages of the one mile, three furlong race, he even led the field.

Afterwards he said: "It was fantastic. He gave me a brilliant ride and I was in the lead in front of the grandstand.

"I could hear big cheers all the way round. But, unfortunately, he didn't stay and was one-paced."

In a fairytale-like story, Nurse only started to prepare for the race at the end of January. It was more than 10 years since he had mounted a horse and he had never ridden in a race before.

He started with some tuition in basic horsemanship at Pamber Green Riding School before going for help to Brendan Powell at his Morstead Stables, near Twyford in Hampshire.

Powell told Nurse he was "useless" and suggested a course at the British Racing School at Newmarket.

His new skills learned there impressed Powell afterwards and Nurse regularly rode out in morning exercise for him.

Then a chance meeting in a Kingsclere pub led to Nurse getting a mount for the race.

Simon Burgoyne, a senior head lad to Andrew Balding at Park House Stables, put Nurse in touch with his father, Paul Burgoyne, who trains at Collingbourne Ducis for owner Andrew Haynes.

They came up with the offer to ride Cadwallader, a four-year-old gelding whose best finish was a fourth place on the all-weather surface at Southwell.

Serco Aerospace, based in Hook, and race sponsors Portman Building Society helped with Nurse's expenses and he was able to hand over more than £3,000 to the charity.

His 10 weeks of preparation were interrupted by a cricket club tour to the Caribbean but that only focused his determination to fulfil his dream.

Nurse's story, that was featured in The Gazette earlier, attracted attention elsewhere and his picture appeared twice in the racing press this week.

Monday's race saw Powell finish first in a one, two, three for his yard. His Little Fella was followed by Watership Down, partnered by his wife Rachael, and Pardon What and Katie Smith, daughter of former Royal jockey Bill Smith.

Guyana-born Nurse, watched by most of his family, is determined to carry on if he can.

"I'd love to do it again and I'm going to continue to work-ride to keep in shape. Both Andrew Haynes and Brendan Powell have asked me to ride out for them. I'll keep in trim."