Mick & David Easterby: Racing Syndicates and Racehorse Ownership



Photo: Steph Easterby


My Old Piano: 2002 - 2018



My Old Piano: 2002 - 2018



My Old Piano began his racing career in Ireland with Margaret Mullins. He was placed once from four starts, before being sold at DBS Sales for £30,000 to join Jonjo O'Neill.

He made six appearances for O'Neill, with the uninspiring form figures 0544UP, before being purchased by Mick Easterby at Goffs Sales for £8,000.

My Old Piano would be trained as a Point-to-Pointer and hunter chaser by David Easterby at Sheriff Hutton and owned by the Bannister family and the Coniston Hotel Racing Club.

In January 2009 My Old Piano made his Point-to-Point debut ridden by Tom Greenall on his home course of Sheriff Hutton. Making a successful start to his pointing career he beat Poppy Day, ridden by David's cousin Joanna Mason.

My Old Piano's second Point-to-Point appearance saw him fall at Witton Castle in a race won by former Mick Easterby inmate Whinny Bank. However, he put the experience firmly behind him by winning his next seven starts, reeling off wins at Charm Park (twice), Whitwell-on-the-Hill, Witton Castle, Heslaker and Garthorpe. The seven race winning sequence was completed by a hunter chase victory at Leicester ridden by Tom Greenall.

In 2014 he was switched to trainer David Easterby's wife, Steph, and the wins continued to come.

Between 2009 and 2016 My Old Piano was a regular on the Point-to-Point circuit, winning 31 PTP races, one hunter chase and being placed 11 times. Those wins saw him first past the post for seven different jockeys.

In 2018, at the age of 16, time was called on Piano's career and after failing to complete three times and he was retired. He had won 32 races from a total of 68 starts.

During his retirement he hunted and also kept fit on Mick Easterby's gallops. Sadly his retirement was to be cut short after a fatal injury in the paddocks in November 2018. For years My Old Piano was the oldest resident in training and the one that warmed all our hearts. A fantastic servant, he will be sadly missed by everyone at the yard, having brought much joy to so many, including his devoted owners, his trainers and of course Caroline Bartram who rode him out and took him racing.




Posted: Saturday 10 November 2018

© M & D Easterby Racing


Photo: Steph Easterby

Photo: Steph Easterby
Photo: Steph Easterby