Lesra Thompson, who was deprived of his dream in the United Kingdom (UK), now has the opportunity to turn his dream into reality by becoming a trainer of racehorses.

Both a citizen of Jamaica and the United Kingdom, Thompson is among 41 applicants chosen to take part in the 2022 Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) Trainers’ Training Programme. The seven-month-long programme started yesterday, Thursday, May 19.

Thompson, who migrated to the UK in 1992, believes that obtaining a trainers’ licence in that country would have fulfilled his long-life ambition but was heartbroken with the final result.

“I was in racing from quite a young age. I grew up around trainer Stanley Findlay before moving to the UK. I was invited up there by my cousin but because I love horse racing I tried obtaining a trainers’ licence at Epsom in Surrey but I didn’t get the chance to do so.

“I was told there weren’t any black trainers and so I went to college instead in the UK,” Thompson told The Supreme Racing Guide.

Thompson said that he is passionate about horse racing and that was one of the main reasons why he came back to Jamaica was to see if he could obtain a trainers’ licence here.

“Horse racing is my passion. I love it very much. I have so many qualifications for different jobs but my heart is in horse racing. I came back to Jamaica in 2015, went back to the UK, and returned to Jamaica in 2016.

“When I came back, I was with trainer Anthony Nunes for about two years then I moved to trainer Raymond Townsend. I spent some time with Townsend, and then moved to trainer Fitznahum Williams.

“I was with Williams for two years but this year I had to move on as well. I took out my assistant licence with trainer O’neil Markland this year,” he said.

Now, Thompson is one step closer to realising his dream and for that he is grateful.

“I grew up in racing, I was in racing from my early teens, I mean I love horses and so I think I know a lot about horses. Yea, this is my passion and this is the only thing that I do that I enjoy.

“There is nothing, I would rather do than racing. I am so happy. I am one step closer to obtaining the thing that means everything to me, and that is becoming a racehorse trainer,” said Thompson.