The Coward family are pointing royalty, and not just in their native Yorkshire.
Cherry – whose father is the legendary Mick Easterby – trains the pointers at Low Moor Farm near the village of Dalby and won the 2008 Cheltenham Foxhunters with Amicelli. Daughter Jacqueline, Ladies National Champion in 2013, holds a Rules licence and her sister Samantha plays an integral role in the running of both yards.
Jake Exelby had an entertaining Zoom call with these three strong-willed characters last week to chew the fat and find out what they’ve been up to in the absence of point-to-pointing.
Who's inspired you most in racing?
(Cherry) Dad, even though he didn’t like girls riding – he used to run my pointers under Rules after November 1st so they weren’t qualified!
(Jac) My uncle David (who used to train pointers). He taught me everything I knew.
Who've been your favourite horses?
(Sam) Amicelli, because he’s Amicelli. And one who doesn’t get recognised is Narciso. He was small and not the best jumper but he tried his heart out and was rarely out of the first three.
(Cherry) I remember running him in a Mixed Open at Hexham. Someone said he’d never carry the weight and I replied, “You don’t know who rides him at home every day!” He won, of course.
Which jockeys have you most admired?
(Jac) I used to look up to Rose Dobbin. Polly Gundry of course, and Clare Allen, who was a similar age to me.
What do you love most about pointing?
(Sam) We’re a close community and it’s like seeing your friends every weekend. It doesn’t matter who wins, we all celebrate together, even if you’re beaten by a nose.
Tell me about one of your funny moments in the sport
(Jac) I’ve got two. A friend of mine, Sarah Townend used to ride. She was blonde and ditsy – you can put that! One day at Duncombe Park, Mark Walford asked her, “Did you see my horse’s eye fall out?” She was going hysterical, shouting, “Oh my God – the eye’s gone.” The horse was blind on the near side!
The other was at Charm Park on one of my early rides. I didn’t know how many laps were left so I asked Rachel Clark. She looked at me fiercely and said, “How many do you f***ing think?” so I kicked on and won the race!
What's been the highlight of your time in racing?
(Aside from the Cheltenham Foxhunters and Ladies Championship victories)
(Sam) Winning with Does He Know at Charm Park, first time out – it’s always been our ambition to train a four-year-old winner. He got his name because we took him out of a field at Grandad’s and he didn’t know (!) although uncle David did. He’s gone on to do well for Kim Bailey and must have a chance at Cheltenham.
(Cherry) Our treble at Witton Castle in 2019. After the first two winners, we ran Wizadora, who was tailed off but came through to win on the run in (beating the season’s leading horse Winged Crusader). ‘Wiz’ is in foal to Frontiersman now and due in Cheltenham week.
Who do you think will win the Cheltenham Foxhunters?
(Sam) I’d like Red Indian to win for Kelly Morgan and I think Latenightpass will run well. It would be a great story if he wins.
What are your ambitions in the sport?
(Cherry) I’d like to have one to go round Aintree, but they take some finding.
Do you have any regrets?
(Cherry) I wish I’d ridden in point-to-points more. I had three wins on Urser but retired after that.
(Jac) Taking that spare ride at Umberleigh and doing my shoulder. We had three winners in the lorry that day (Jac was duelling with Bridget Andrews in 2014 for a second consecutive championship).
What changes have you seen during your time? For better, for worse?
(Cherry) They meddle too much with the races now. An open’s an open. And letting the top trainers run in hunter chases is terrible.
(Jac) What’s wrong with the old structure – maiden, restricted, open? If you’re fast, run in a bumper, if you’re slow, run over three miles. And if you’ve got a two-and-a-half miler, p**s off under Rules!
(Sam) The shorter races are good for young horses. Anyway, I do the race planning – those two haven’t got a clue!
How has lockdown affected you from a racing perspective?
(Sam) We got some of the pointers in early and we ran eight at Alnwick. Since then, we’ve run a few from Jac’s yard under Rules and put the pointers on the back burner. But they’re looking well and they’ve kept fit.
Which are your favourite courses?
(I gave them strict instructions not to mention Sheriff Hutton, which is on Mick’s land…)
(Cherry) Charm Park, which is flat, fair and has decent ground. Brocklesby Park, also flat and fair with good fences. And Sheriff Hutton, of course – it’s the best track in Yorkshire!
What are your plans for the rest of the season?
(Jac) Run the older horses as often as possible!
(Sam) The ones that have gone under Rules will stay there but we’ve got about ten pointers and a good balance of younger and older horses. There are enough fixtures in Yorkshire and the North and we’ve no superstars, so probably won’t travel.
What do you think the effect of lockdown on pointing will be?
(Sam) It could go either way. You might bring in new people wanting a bit of fun, but you might also lose people to Rules. You’ve got to love pointing to do it when you can finish sixth in a handicap and win £350, which is more than you get for winning an open.
What else have you been up to during lockdown?
(Cherry) Sam’s a good baker. And I’ve been reading The Seven Sisters books by Lucinda Riley – they’re six books about sisters and the seventh comes out in May.
(Jac) Mum can barely read! I didn’t watch TV until last March but I’ve enjoyed The Last Kingdom and Queen of the South, which is about a Mexican cartel.
Have you enjoyed anything about lockdown?
(Jac) I’ve loved it, because I haven’t had to see anyone! It helps that where we live is beautiful and I’ve got my family close to me – I’ve come to appreciate the country more. And we’ve had a few illegal raves too!
(Cherry) Jac’s bought a racing bike and she and Sam have lost weight… but I haven’t.
What are you most looking forward to when lockdown ends?
(Cherry) Getting my hair cut and having some highlights.
(Sam) Mum’s got a real mullet at the moment!
Do you have a nickname you're willing to share?
(Sam) Sanj. Because Frankel’s lad was called Sandeep and we had a friend called Fran, so we named her Frandeep. Jac became Janj, I was Sanj and they stuck.
(Jac) Bob. Because Uncle David googled the most common name for a goldfish, which is Bob. I don’t know why he thinks I’m a goldfish!
What would you be doing if you weren’t involved in racing?
(A daft question – as if a member of the Easterby clan would do anything else!)
(Cherry) A dressmaker. Have you seen Dad’s Facebook page? I mended his trousers but he got me to film him pretending he’d made them!
(Jac) An actress.
(Sam, grimacing) I don’t think so!