Lingfield victory is seventh heaven for Easterby
Northern Echo
30 March 2007
AN UNBEATEN run on all three all-weather courses culminated with Gentleman's Deal taking his seventh win in a row, the Betdirect Winter Derby at Lingfield last Saturday.
It was the highlight of a winter campaign by Mick Easterby's stable star, who immediately became ante-post favourite for tomorrow's Lincoln at Newcastle, the traditional curtain-raiser to the turf season.
Paul Mulrennan found no-one prepared to make the pace and took it up himself early doors. He could then relax a bit, lying just off the leaders until a furlong out when he sent his tough mount to the front to repel all boarders.
The winner is an entire who divides his time between racing work and stud duties. His owner, Stephen Curtis, when told that the winner automatically gets an entry in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in California, said: "In a week's time he goes back to work with his harem".
Easterby said: "He'll probably run in the Lincoln if the ground is good, as he loves good ground. Then he's got 50 mares waiting for him and I think I'll bring him back again next year and go for this race".
