30 years on, they are one and dedicated to racing
Lesley, Channon were a team even before the latter was issued with a trainer’s licence in 1990
Lesley White, assistant to Mick Channon, the former Southampton and England footballer-turned trainer, hails from Marske, a small town in North Yorkshire, England.
There is something about this particular part of the UK. Whether it’s the air, the soil or the water, but it’s something that breeds a strong, tough hardworking and very warm hearted type of person. Maybe that’s a stereo type but it’s a pretty good one and Lesley fits exactly into the mold.
So many of us that are or have worked in British racing know her and have at some point been helped, advised or assisted in some small way by this straight talking and capable lady.
Lesley and Channon were a team even long before Channon was issued with a trainers licence in 1990, both working for John Baker in the West Country and Ken Cunningham Brown. Licence granted and the move to the racing centre of Lambourn in Berkshire made and Team Channon was on its way.
Amazing to realise that nearly 30 years later most of that team is still intact.
Lesley has worked in each and every department at one time or other, though her chief role evolved over time to be the main person responsible for the horses travelling to the races.
When they are away from “base camp” for days or weeks at a time the role becomes one of a “trainer” in the absence of the boss. Lesley steps into this role as easily as she would step into a pair of comfy slippers and the Boss trusts her implicitly.
One of her charges this year is Opal Tiara, a success story herself, owned initially in part by her breeder and Channon Bloodstock, Qatar Racing emerged to purchase a share in her after her first two races were a Woverhampton win followed by a second to the flying filly Eastern Angel. Despite her reaching a rating of 109 as a 3-year-old and winning a Group 3 at Goodwood last August she was sent to the Tattersalls December Mares Sale but happily retained by her original owner.
Her sire, Thousand Words, though not a superstar, is the sire of one of UK’s most popular racehorse’s, the amazing looking, white legged Top Notch Tonto. His fans go racing especially to see him.
She has developed rapidly out here, running second to Godolphin’s aptly named Very Special in the Group 2 Cape Verdi and then taking the Balanchine, also a Group 2 for which she has only been raised 2lbs by the handicapper. She is without a doubt the best horse the Lesley and Channon have had at the Carnival for a while and I hope all keeps going the right way for her up to the Dubai Turf on World Cup night.
The author is a former trainer from the UK and the mother of leading international jockeys James and Sophie Doyle.