Monday morning brought the sad news that one of the true legends of the racing world had passed away. The first, and so far only, British trainer to train over 1,000 winners on the flat and over jumps, Peter Easterby died at home surrounded by his loved ones at the grand old age of 95.
Renowned for his keen eye for a horse and uncanny ability to eke the best of the runners under his care – whether that be in a five-furlong sprint handicap or a Grade 1 staying chase – the much loved Easterby amassed a training career to rival the best.
Humble Beginnings
Born on the 5th of August, 1929, Henry Miles Easterby, or Peter to all who knew him, took his first steps in the racing game as an assistant to his uncle Walter Easterby. By 1950, he was ready to set out on his own at the age of 21.
It’s fair to say that things began slowly for Peter. So slowly that he waited three whole years for his first winner over jumps and two more to land an event on the level. However, once the touchpaper had ignited, the hardworking Easterby exploded onto the big stage.
Jumps Success on the Biggest Stage
In the early part of his 46-year career as a trainer, Easterby focussed predominantly on the flat. However, that began to change in the 1960s and 1970s, with two all-time greats propelling the Yorkshireman to the peak of the jumping game.
Easterby claimed his first Champion Hurdle when saddling Saucy Kit to victory in 1967. His second followed in 1976 as the sensational Night Nurse blazed a trail to victory. That win served as the pinnacle of a ten-race winning streak, which also included the Welsh and Scottish Champion Hurdles. Successfully defending his Champion Hurdle title in 1977, the remarkable Night Nurse is considered the greatest hurdler of all time by many a shrewd judge.
Sea Pigeon was no match for Night Nurse when fourth in the 1977 Champion Hurdle. However, one of the greatest ever dual-purpose performers went on to claim back-to-back editions in 1980 and 1981. Not content with his exploits over jumps, this brilliantly versatile performer counted two Chester Cups and an Ebor Handicap amongst his victories on the level.
Ending his training career with 1,511 National Hunt wins, Easterby picked up 13 wins at the Cheltenham Festival, including two Cheltenham Gold Cups with Alverton (1979) and Little Owl, who mastered stablemate Night Nurse in 1980. Champion National Hunt Trainer three years in a row between 1979 and 1981, he saddled his last jumps winner with his final runner, Bahlernoch, at Sedgefield in 1996.
Formidable on the Flat
The hurdling titans Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon will forever be the names most associated with Peter Easterby. However, few trainers have demonstrated such versatility over such a long period.
Equally at home preparing a runner for the Cheltenham Gold Cup as the Ayr Gold Cup, he landed that latter six-furlong sprint affair on three occasions. Throw in two Lincoln Handicaps, three wins in the now defunct Vaux Gold Tankard, and Royal Ascot triumphs with Goldhill in the Windsor Castle Stakes and Kings Stand Stakes, and it becomes clear why Easterby is considered one of the all-time great dual-purpose trainers.
One of Racings Most Famous Families
As the son of an amateur rider who learnt his trade under the guidance of his uncle, Easterby hailed from a family with strong racing roots. Fittingly, when Peter finally handed over his licence in 1996, it didn’t have far to travel.
Having served as assistant trainer for several years, Easterby’s son Tim took over in the hot seat at Habton Grange. Far from heading into retirement, Peter Easterby took up the role of assistant and served as a key cog in the machine well past his 80th Birthday.
Tim Easterby has some way to go before matching the exploits of his father. However, with three Grade 1 wins over jumps and eight Group 1 victories on the flat, including the 2002 St Leger, he appears to have inherited his father’s ability to hit the target under both codes.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Peter Easterby’s love for the racehorse is immediately apparent to anyone visiting his Habton Grange home. Located just across from the main house lies a picturesque paddock, which serves as the resting place for Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon. Nestled among the beech trees lies a plaque which simply reads, “Legends in their Lifetime” – a fitting description for the iconic hurdling greats and the man who led them to stardom.
