EASTER BY CLOSES IN ON ANOTHER CENTURY

Nick Townsend meets a trainer with a name that's synonymous with horseracing in Yorkshire

- Nick Townsend

Being a scion of a distinguished racing name can have its advantages but with it comes that pressure to maintain the family's prominence. And when it come to racing dynasties they surely don't come any more revered than the Easterbys that extended North Yorkshire family that can be traced back to Walter Easterby, who trained from the 1920s at Towton near Tadcaster. He was the uncle of those acclaimed masters of their trade, the brothers Peter and Mick Easterby.

Yet, as Peter's Classic-winning son Tim heads towards the end of his third decade as a trainer, since succeeding his 'legendary' father - an epithet that's frequently misapplied, but not, you'd submit, in this case you won't encounter a more sanguine individual operating in this most competitive of industries.

His Habton Grange operation at Malton continues to thrive. With 67 winners this season at the time of writing and total prizemoney of a touch under £1m, he lies 21st in the trainers' championship table.

When we last spoke, some four years ago, he stabled around 120 horses at his yard. Today, he puts that number at 150. And they're kept busy. He has had more runners this season than any of his rivals. 

Easterby, 61, looks to be heading for another century of winners, a feat he's achieved in four of the last five seasons, although he is quick to stress: "Yes, but I don't target it. I just target to get the best out of what we've got."

Unlike the major Southern stables and even some of his Yorkshire rivals, he is not the beneficiary of a supply of impeccably-bred yearlings from Middle East interests though he is blessed by support from King Power Racing, for whom he trains the flying grey, Art Power.

To flourish in such a hugely competitive industry is no easy task, you contend.

"Absolutely," he agrees. "But you can do it..."