RACING: Croc An Oir breaks duck for Leech

11:10am Wednesday 14th May 2008

It was a weekend to remember for two Blewbury trainers.

Sophie Leech, who used to train point-to-pointers, saddled her first winner when Croc An Oir, ridden by Mark Grant, won by a massive 26 lengths in a 3m 2f chase at Uttoxeter.

"I took out a licence last October, and we've got nearly 20 horses now," said Leech.

She added: "It's a relief to have our first winner. We've had a lot of near-misses, and I'm particularly pleased that it was 'Croc' who did it for us."

Meanwhile, Blewbury handler Gerard Butler's impending move to Newmarket has not stopped him training winners.

His top-weighted Baharah, ridden by Richard Hughes, eased home against a good field to win at Ascot on Saturday, rewarding punters who backed his starting price of 12-1.

Butler said: "The aim is to come back here next month, when we're all decked out in our summer gear. Under that weight, it was a Group 3 performance."

Championship Point provided West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon with a welcome change of luck when foiling Maraahel's bid for a fourth consecutive win in the Grant Thornton Huxley Stakes at Chester.

Darryll Holland set out to make all the running on the five-year-old in the Group 3 contest.

But it looked as if he may have to settle for second spot when Maraahel headed him in the final furlong.

However, Channon's charge battled back to claim the spoils by a neck.

It represented an upturn in the West Ilsley trainer's fortune after Nahoodh's agonising defeat in the 1000 Guineas and Som Tala's close second in the Chester Cup.

Channon said: "We needed a change of luck and we have got that.

"When I saw the ground drying out I knew we had to go again and it is great he has managed to win a Group race."

Holland added: "He is such a lovely horse. He is one of my best. He really stuck his head out."

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