19 March 2009 Trainer in Profile - David Easterby
Our latest "Trainer in Profile" is David Easterby, son of Mick, nephew of the legendary Peter, and brother of Foxhunters-winning trainer Cherry Coward. David runs a large and successful yard in North Yorkshire, and was responsible for many of Oliver Greenall's winners during his record-breaking 2008 season. It must be noted that many of his answers to this questionnaire were done with tongue lodged firmly in cheek!
NAME: David Easterby
FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING? Too long!
DO YOU COMBINE TRAINING WITH ANOTHER JOB OR PROFESSION? Oh yes, I'm professional gopher for M.W. Easterby.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED? Sheriff Hutton, near York
HOW MANY HORSES DO YOU TRAIN? 18-30 (the number of horses, not the Club).
ARE YOU FROM A RACING BACKGROUND? Yes, but don't tell anyone........
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST WINNER AS A TRAINER? Meadowbank in a 15 runner Sinnington Maiden in 2000. He was owned and ridden by the great Milo Watson, now Lord Manton. He won again two weeks later at the Derwent, where I was a well-beaten third on Scruton, trained by my sister Cherry.
OF WHICH HORSE PERFORMANCE ARE YOU MOST PROUD? When I was riding, it was my sister's horse Just Charlie, every time the great Mr S Swiers rode him..... J
Training, it was Pristine Condition winning first time out this year at Sheriff Hutton, as we always thought he'd take a run to get fit.
DID YOU RACE-RIDE BEFORE YOU STARTED TRAINING? Yes, a long and illustrious binge eating and drinking career.
HOW DID YOU START TRAINING AND WHO HAS BEEN MOST INFLUENTIAL ON YOUR TRAINING CAREER? Training started when daddy bought some Pointers after I'd ridden a few winners belonging to my sisters.
The most influence on the training has to be Linn, the music system, who knows how to get me up in the morning!
WHICH JOCKEYS DO YOU USE REGULARLY? The Greenall brothers (all four of them), and my nieces, Jacqueline Coward and the Mason sisters. I can look forward in the future to legging up young new riding prospects who just need a few pointers.
WHAT TRAINING FACILITIES DO YOU HAVE AVAILABLE? There are a couple of gallops locally, and Malton is close by. We've got a sandpit, which is a big asset. The horses want for nothing - they've got good warm boxes, and there's an abundance of good hay and straw, while we support the sponsors by using Connolly's Red Mills! Being not far from a big training centre, we've had our fair share of good vets around here.
DO YOU TRAIN JUST FOR YOURSELF OR FOR OTHER OWNERS? Anyone and everyone, but it helps if we all get on together and have similar opinions.
WHAT CAR DO YOU DRIVE? If I have to drive, then whatever is in the yard!
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU LIKE? Ibiza was taken on board last year, and HeadCandy was special. A visit to Leeds Fest is an annual must, and bands would be an ongoing theme, with "Creep" by Radiohead and "Song 2" by Blur on the list of my Desert Island Discs.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE FILMS AND TV PROGRAMMES? TV series are the way forward for me, with Becker, House, Lost, The Simpsons, Heroes, CSI and QI being the first I can think of. And I don't mind a bit of Ray Mears and the odd cooking programme to broaden the horizons.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT NIGHT IN & PERFECT NIGHT OUT: The best night out I have had is at the World Darts. If drinking, spilling, shouting, jeering and dancing/jumping up and down is your game try it! It's the best!!!!!
In would be a game of Centurion, followed by some food I had cooked.
WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GO ON HOLIDAY? Las Vegas for the poker, Ibiza for the dancing and Sardinia for food
WHO WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL TRAVELLING COMPANIONS TO THE RACES? My new owners - Graham, John, J.P., and Trevor. Oh and not to forget the Stewart family.
WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST HEROES - IN AND OUT OF RACING? My mum xx.
WHAT TURNS YOU ON / OFF - IN RACING & LIFE IN GENERAL? Turn-offs are coming too soon and people not doing what they say.
Turn-ons are getting things right and smiley happy people.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FUNNIEST INCIDENT AT THE RACES? Well there have been a few. I did win a race once because I told a fellow jock there was another lap and it worked!
Watching the re-run of my only ride in the Aintree Fox Hunters (on Colonel Blazer in 2001) a couple of weeks later and hearing that the cheers were louder for my fourth than for the winner, although I was simultaneously thinking "If only I had put him in the race."
WHAT PARTICULAR HORSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRAIN? The future triple winner of the Arkle and Queen Mother chases. and if she could manage a couple of Grand National wins too that would suit.
IF YOU HADN'T TAKEN UP TRAINING WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING NOW? A bit less.
WHAT AMBITIONS DO YOU HAVE IN RACING? To survive.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE COURSES AND MEETINGS? Sheriff Hutton all the way. All roads lead to the Hutton!
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR POINT-TO-POINT TRAINERS? Getting the courses/Clerks to tell you the state of the ground correctly.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF DECEMBER RACING? In life, and therefore Pointing, my opinion is that parameters should be widely set and every option should be made available. Conditions for those who want December racing should be made as enticing as possible.
WHAT ARE YOUR OPINIONS ON THE CHANGES IN POINT-TO-POINTING IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND WHAT DEVELOPMENTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE? I think changes are too slow, but this could be justified by the fact that fewer mistakes will be made now than when I come to power!
Four-year-olds should be allowed to run in all races without restrictions (again the parameters thing).
Entries to be only made through Weatherbys Chase, keeping things smoother and easier, and it would also allow all entries to close on Monday.
There should be more Intermediates, and maybe horses should be allowed to win two Intermediates and carry penalties.
Also, it should be remembered that Pointing is an amateur game, and the weights should allow for fatties like me. Bring back 12st7lb, because if the lighter weights stop one person from having the fun I had, it's wrong. Wrong, I tell you!!
It's hard to find a 3m Novice Hunter Chase early in the season, so we need a lot more. And some Open races should be restricted to horses which haven't won more than three races under Rules, Hunter Chases excepted.
