Legendary trainer and founder of Yorkshire dynasty Peter Easterby dies aged 95
Easterby won the Champion Hurdle five times and Cheltenham Gold Cup twice while also became the first to trainer 1,000 winners on the Flat and jumps
Legendary trainer Peter Easterby, who excelled at both jumps and Flat, has died aged 95. The founder of a racing dynasty, brother of Mick and father of Tim Easterby, whose son William is his assistant, was synonymous with some of the biggest names over jumps during the late 1970s until he turned his focus to the Flat.
From his base in Great Habton, Malton in Yorkshire, Peter 'M H' Easterby, trained for 46 years, setting up in 1950 11 years before younger brother Mick.
He trained his first Royal Ascot winner in the 1960s and clinched the first of five Champion Hurdle victories with Saucy Kit in 1967.
He was champion jumps trainer three seasons in a row from the late 1970s, a period when he produced Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon to win the Champion Hurdle twice at the Cheltenham Festival and Alverton and Little Owl to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
He went on to become the first trainer to saddle 1,000 winners under both codes, winning a string of big handicaps on the Flat before he retired in 1996 when son Tim took over the licence.
The news of his death was broken by Tim, who posted. 'It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of my father Peter Easterby.
'He passed away peacefully in his own home with his family by his side. A true gentleman, legendary racehorse trainer, passionate farmer, lover of country sports and an incredibly proud father and grandfather.'
Among many tributes, Go Racing in Yorkshire, said: 'The patriarch of a racing dynasty set standards and broke many records and leaves an amazing legacy to be continued by the generations to follow.
'An incredibly popular man held in high regard by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts are with his family.
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Alverton A typical Easterby type in that he was precocious enough to be good on the Flat, finishing second in the 1976 Ebor, and hardy enough to be even better over jumps. Winner of the Arkle Trophy in 1978, he successfully stepped up in distance to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following year. It was close between him and Tied Cottage at the final fence where the Irish horse fell, leaving Alverton to coast home in the snow and mud. He started favourite for the Grand National in the same year and was going easily when suffering a fatal fall Becher's Brook on the second circuit. Goldhill Easterby may be better known for training stayers and jumpers, but it was the sprinter Goldhill that first put him on the map. After winning the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in 1963, Goldhill would have gone there for the King's Stand Stakes in 1964 but the meeting was abandoned due to waterlogging. However, he put the record straight when taking the five-furlong feature in 1965. Coincidentally, Goldhill retired to stud and became a successful stallion, most notably siring dual Champion Hurdle winner Comedy Of Errors. Little Owl Little Owl led home a one-two for Easterby in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1981 when denying his stablemate Night Nurse. The trainer picked up Little Owl for 2,300 guineas and the sky appeared to be the limit when he captured the big prize at the tender age of seven on only his fifth start over fences. It was not to be, though, as he was badly hit by a virus and was never anywhere near his best form again. Night Nurse A good Flat career was expected from this son of Falcon, but though he won a Ripon maiden at the age of three, it was over jumps that he made his name, winning 32 of his 64 races over obstacles. He was 'all heart', according to Easterby, and was one of the star turns in a golden era. He won the Champion Hurdle in 1976 and 1977 and in the latter year dead-heated with Monksfield, giving him 6lb, at Aintree. He also gave his all over fences and recovered from a bad injury to go down by only a length and a half to Little Owl in the Gold Cup in 1981. Sea Pigeon Sea Pigeon had been a good horse on the Flat for Jeremy Tree and over hurdles when with Gordon Richards, but became a great one under Easterby's guidance from early 1977. His exploits under both codes are legendary and it was his burst of speed that stood him out from the rest. A dual Chester Cup hero and memorable winner of the Ebor, it was his four consecutive appearances in the Champion Hurdle that are perhaps most fondly remembered. Second in 1978 and 1979, he finally lifted the prize in 1980 and repeated the trick the following year at the age of 11 under a vintage John Francome ride.
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In a training career spanning 46 years, Easterby won major races at all the premier meetings under both codes – Cheltenham, Aintree, Royal Ascot, York and Doncaster. When he handed the reins to his son, Tim, in 1996, the only real change was the name on the licence as it was basically business as usual. It was a move typical of him that with a younger man at the helm, it would give Habton Grange stables in North Yorkshire the impetus, if any was needed, as the millennium approached. The transition was not only seamless, but barely noticeable with the winners being churned out as they always had been. Easterby, christened Miles Henry, had the rare achievement of sending out more than 1,000 winners under both codes, having taken up training in 1950 following the completion of his National Service. His career ran parallel for decades with his brother Mick, two years his junior. The pair have been giants of the racing scene in Yorkshire – and reputed to own a lot of it between them. Peter Easterby was champion jumps trainer for three consecutive seasons from 1978 to 1981 and had a total of 13 Cheltenham Festival winners in just 10 years. Five Champion Hurdles and two Cheltenham Gold Cups were his best achievements over jumps, while handicaps were his territory on the Flat with the Lincoln, Chester Cup, Ebor and Ayr Gold Cup among the many he farmed. Born on August 5, 1929, he learnt his trade assisting his uncle Walter and honed his skills during a three-year stint with Irishman Frank Hartigan at Weyhill in Hampshire. He first held a licence in 1950 and showed his intent when in 1951 he cycled five miles to get a lift in a horse box to the Newmarket sales. He got back home via a furniture van, bus and bike. He spent £380 on three yearlings and had sold them all within 24 hours. His first winner came over jumps in 1953 and his first on the level in 1955. His breakthrough year was 1965 when he won the Lincoln at Doncaster with Old Tom and the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot with Goldhill. Two years later, he won the Champion Hurdle for the first time with Saucy Kit, a horse he bought at the sales for 700 guineas as a three-year-old. Easterby paid 1,100 guineas for Night Nurse, who was his favourite horse, winning the Champion Hurdle in 1976 and 1977. He was not afraid to have a good bet and admitted backing Night Nurse three times before the 1977 renewal after his price drifted as it was felt he would not handle the heavy ground. Easterby knew different. Sea Pigeon, who joined his team during the winter of 1976-77 from Gordon Richards, took the crown in 1980 and 1981 after finishing second in the two previous years. He was also a classy Flat performer, winning the Chester Cup in 1977 and 1978 plus three Vaux Gold Tankards and the Ebor under top weight of 10st in 1979, albeit after a heart-stopping photo finish. Easterby had a permanent reminder of his two superstars as they were buried side by side less than 50 yards from his office window. Night Nurse went close to completing the Champion/Gold Cup double when runner-up to stablemate Little Owl in 1981. Alverton had won chasing's blue riband prize for Easterby in 1979. Other famous names in an enormous list of his big-race winners and popular performers included Bronze Hill, Sonnen Gold, Clayside and Ryeman. His legacy lives on with the highly-successful Tim, grandson William and the rest of the Easterby dynasty that will continue to grace Yorkshire and the racing world beyond.
