Tim Easterby continues 'fantastic year' with new record winners total

Tim Easterby capped a "fantastic year" by beating his best total of winners when Matty Too took the £25,000 Grassroots Series nursery final under David Allan.

It was the 127th British success on the Flat in 2021 for a trainer whose highlight was Nunthorpe victory with Winter Power but whose team have been in form all season.

"When they start running well you think 'how long will it go on for?' and the fact they've kept doing it is fantastic," said Easterby's son and assistant William.

"We've had a fantastic year and we've been really lucky. We've got a really good team, some nice horses and some great owners. It's not just the big winners, any horse winning is nice."

Matty Too was among 11 horses the yard ran in the four finals and his owner Brian Valentine also struck with Ava Go Joe, ridden by Duran Fentiman, who led home an Easterby 1-2-3 in the 6f sprint handicap.

William Easterby said: "It's great to be able to go for some good money somewhere and fantastic we've won it.

William Easterby: 'We've had a fantastic year and we've been really lucky'Credit: David Carr

"A lot of these high-60s or 70s horses don't get a chance to run for good money so when they do you've got to give it a go. Winning one of these can make a big difference to an owner's year."

Naa worries

Nobody following market moves or watching the preliminaries would have been keen on Hanaady for division two of the fillies' maiden – which cost them a winner at 22-1.

The Shadwell Estate two-year-old drifted from her best price of 15-2 overnight, particularly when she was one of several to play up at the mile start and proved very difficult to enter the stalls.

Yet the Ed Dunlop-trained filly had no problems in the race itself and won by half a length under Jim Crowley.

"They load by the stables and Nottingham is renowned for problems with fillies," the jockey said. "She wasn't the only one and it was monkey see monkey do.

"But she travelled nicely in the race, she's a good-moving filly and she won nicely. She's quite a strong filly and she should make a nice horse next season. She should stay further."

Glad they didn't water

Tom Ryall did not have things easy in the build-up to his first meeting as clerk of the course, with the long dry spell followed by a couple of days of heavy rain.

Tom Ryall: clerk of the course at Nottingham and WarwickCredit: David Carr

"It was pretty quick on Sunday but we sat tight and didn't water and we had 9mm of rain on Monday and 10mm yesterday," said the 25-year-old, who has taken over here and at Warwick with his predecessor Jane Hedley now interim general manager.

The ground was officially good by the time of racing – whereas it might have been decidedly soft had the new man in charge not resisted the temptation to water at the weekend.

Ryall, a British Racing School graduate who spent six years working for Harry Fry, followed in the footsteps of Sulekha Varma, Dan Cooper and others by training as a clerk under Kirkland Tellwright at Haydock and qualified in April.

Replays, results & analysis

Read more about Tim Easterby:

How Tim Easterby ignored his parents' wishes and followed in the family way

'She's a machine, a superstar' - Easterby hails Nunthorpe queen Winter Power

'One to keep an eye on' - improving horses help Tim Easterby to 56-1 hat-trick

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