'That's the way life goes' - bittersweet victory for John Butler as Brains is claimed after comfortable success

Victory in the mile claimer for Brains proved bittersweet for trainer John Butler after the seven-year-old was claimed following his two-and-a-half-length success.

Brains joined Butler after finishing second in a claimer at Chester last year, and has since won three races while in the Newmarket handler's care.

"He's been claimed, so unfortunately he's gone," Butler said. "That was his third win since joining me and he's been very consistent since we claimed him for £12,000. 

"There just weren't any great opportunities for him and he'd started to struggle off his handicap mark, so the owners [Power Geneva Ltd] were happy enough to go for a claimer and let him go.

"I didn't want him to go because he's been a good servant and is an easy horse to do, but that's just the way life goes. We're going to have to go back to the drawing board and see if we can get something else in to replace him."

Winning rider Ross Coakley completed a double in the next race when guiding the Ed Walker-trained Star From Afarhh to victory in the 1m3½f fillies' handicap.

Garner too quick

The most taking performance of the day came from Garner, who took off from the front under Hollie Doyle to land the 6f novice on his stable debut for Archie Watson.

Previously owned by the late Queen Elizabeth, Garner stormed clear in the straight to score by a comfortable three and a half lengths in the colours of Hambleton Racing.

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