Mick & David Easterby

You don’t need to spend big. You just need a good eye.

10.18 | Tue 28 Nov 23 | News

Wasn't it was marvellous to see Diligent Resdev win on his debut at Newcastle today?

He looks a very nice prospect for next season and we think he'll be even better on grass.

It just goes to show that you don't have to pay big money to buy a winner. Our horse cost 5,500 guineas from the sales as a foal. He was one of the cheapest horses in the race today. He beat a horse called Almore who cost 360,000 euros as a yearling and Sherman Tank who cost 165,000 euros more recently as a two-year-old. Sherman Tank finished third and Altmore was fourth.

What you need to buy winners is a good eye. It's not all about how deep your pockets are.

When I look back over the last half century the best horses I've had have come cheap. I paid just £600 for Lochnager and he became Champion Sprinter. Mrs McArdy won a Classic and I bought her in a job lot of eight horses.

Lochnager cost just £600 and became Champion Sprinter

More recently Gentleman's Deal cost 26,000 guineas and he won the Winter Derby before being sold on as a stallion for quarter of a million.

You don't need to spend big. Look at the horse and not just the pedigree. All this big money that people spend on buying racehorses spoils the fun.

Today's winner Diligent Resdev cost just 5,500 guineas.