Peter Easterby: The Yorkshire racehorse trainer with a knowing eye and a knack for a deal

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.

There was no secret to how Easterby prepared racehorses at his Ryedale stables where some horse boxes were built out of railway sleepers acquired after the Beeching cuts and which – just like the trainer – have stood the test of time.

It was that knowing eye, still glinting in the early Spring sunshine at a venerable age, that enabled him to spot a potential champion – and always at a knockdown price.

Times, after all, were tough for his parents, William and Leila, following the war.

“He was a horse dealer. Never had money,” he recalled for The Yorkshire Post in 2017. “The only time he had any money was during the war. There was a black market of ham, eggs and bacon.

"We used to get a licence to kill one pig and killed five. All cash. We started with 25 acres – rent £100 a year in 1951.”

Asked what made a good trainer, he said: “First of all, he has to be able to deal, buy or sell, or he has no bloody sense. He has to be a natural horseman, too.”

In describing himself, Easterby said, “farmer, trainer, dealer – they all go together”.

On ‘retiring’ in 1996 to become his son’s assistant, he added: “We had had a good run and we had some good ’osses. You never get a younger owner going to older trainers.”

Peter 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 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.

Easterby’s wife Marjorie died in 2012. They had three children, Carolyn, Tim and Leila.