David Easterby wore the lucky Sondad racing silks for his latest leg of a 326-mile charity bike ride. The trainer set out from the family's stables in Sheriff Hutton to head to Ripon earlier today, where he and his father Mick have two runners.
Charity Ride for Yorkshire Air Ambulance
The 25-mile journey marked the second day of David's challenge in aid of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which will see him pedal to tracks participating in the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, sponsored by Sky Bet. To coincide with the Sondad's trip to the Curragh, David wore the sprinter's colours, which belong to owner Gary Routledge.
And it was a lucky omen as later on, jockey Joanna Mason drove the 9-2 favourite ahead in the closing stages of the Liverpool FC Foundation Scurry Handicap over six-and-a-half furlongs.
Jockey Joanna Mason's Reaction
"David set off from Sheriff Hutton to Ripon today only just fitting into these colours!" Mason said afterwards. "I think I look better in them than he does!" Mason, who overtook Terry Lucas to become the yard's most successful jockey with 132 winners, was taking the same race fellow Easterby horse Perfect Pasture scooped a decade ago.
She added on Racing TV: "It's always an aim if we have got one good enough. He was definitely unlucky in the Wokingham, he was drawn on the wrong side and you can see today I always need something to take me into it. It worked out perfect. He is so laid back and only does what he has to. I think that's what gets horses so far sometimes, they do everything in their own stride. I couldn't ask for a better horse to ride."
Route and Fundraising Progress
With stops for fish and chips and ice cream, David made his way to Ripon, where Trucial Pearl runs in a mile handicap at 5.03pm and Von Trotter goes for a six-furlong sprint at the end of the seven-race card. The 25-mile trip will be followed by a cycle to Redcar, Beverley, Catterick, Doncaster, Thirsk and York over the coming days, with the festival concluding on the Knavesmire next Saturday when popstar Tom Grennan performs after racing.
David has already collected more than £5,500 on JustGiving for his gruelling fitness fundraiser across the Yorkshire countryside. "I wanted to do something a little different and challenge myself at the same time," he said. "The festival is a fantastic showcase for the sport and hopefully racing fans will get behind the effort and help raise as much money as possible."
