Peter Easterby

On the day that Kevin Prendergast was remembered at the Curragh in the naming of the International Stakes, and a day after Peter Easterby was laid to rest, another great of the training ranks was lost with the passing of Barry Hills. Then came the news from America that D Wayne Lukas had too departed. To read the tributes paid to these men, who did so much to enrich the colour of this storied sport, is something of a treat in itself - their parting gift, if you like -...

Miles Henry Easterby, invariably known as Peter, who has died at the age of 95, was not only one of the best and most successful dual-purpose trainers Britain has ever known, but also one of the most popular and most respected. Peter Easterby and his younger brother Mick had good teachers because they grew up under the wings of their father William, a farmer and amateur rider, and uncle Walter, a trainer. From them they absorbed an almost bottomless reserve of horsemanship and a very strong work ethic. Life was...