Mick & David Easterby: Racing Syndicates and Racehorse Ownership






Blue Spinnaker (IRE)

Blue Spinnaker (IRE)



SireBluebird
DamSuedoise
DOB 1999
Sex gelding
Colour bay
Owner G Sparkes, G Hart, S Curtis, T Dewhirst
Breeder M3 Elevage And Haras D'Etreham
Source
John Hammond (France)
Form [F]
0/ 23132414004/ 714104634/ 0290006300/ 0310087000/ 08042830708005/ 12190951472207/ 096789600/ 122339990/ 00709/

Blue Spinnaker arrived in 2002 after I bought him from John Hammond in France. He had had problems with his legs but I knew I could fix him up and I knew he would be good once I had!

He showed lots of promise on his debut at Pontefract where he was narrowly beaten by a head in a maiden race for older horses at odds of 100/1. At that point I knew I had a serious horse on my hands.

Spinnaker went on to win the Thirsk Hunt Cup and the Zetland Gold Cup along with seven other races in 92 outings. He earned a total of £160,000 in prizemoney. Blue Spinnaker liked Doncaster, winning there three times and he also won twice just up the road at York and twice at Thirsk as well as at Redcar and Haydock.

It was his fifth win, at York in 2006, that got me into trouble. I was interviewed about how I bought him and I got pulled up for what I said on the telly. I had no idea it was a forbidden word that I'd used, but I got a letter for me troubles and a slap on the hand.

Blue Spinnaker was retired in 2011. For years he was our babysitter, looking after the yearlings when they were out in the fields. However, he was tragically killed in October 2020 when he was driven out of his field by poachers. An awful end to one of the most memorable horses of my career.

Links

Channel 4 forced to apologise after Easterby turns the airwaves blue



Date Race

28Mar10 AJA Gentleman Amateur Riders Handicap
Doncaster
Mr O Greenall

1m 2f 110y

12Jul08 John Smiths Fence Gate Inn Handicap
York
Bradley Roper

1m

18Apr08 Barrie Sullivan Handicap
Thirsk
Paul Mulrennan

1m

11Apr08 Amateur Jockeys Association Lady Amateur Riders Handicap
Doncaster
Miss J Coward

1m 2f 110y

17May06 Newton Investment Management Handicap
York
Paul Mulrennan

1m 2f 110y

31May04 Zetland Gold Cup
Redcar
Paul Mulrennan

1m 2f

01May04 Hygicare Thirsk Hunt Cup
Thirsk
Paul Mulrennan

1m

09Aug03 James Halstead Rated Stakes
Haydock
Richard Quinn

1m

07Jun03 doncaster-racecourse.com Maiden Stakes
Doncaster
Paul Mulrennan

5f



BLUE SPINNAKER

bay gelding

1999
Bluebird (USA) Storm Bird (CAN) Northern Dancer (CAN)
South Ocean (CAN)
Ivory Dawn (USA) Sir Ivor (USA)
Dusky Evening (USA)
Suedoise Kris Sharpen Up
Doubly Sure
Sunny Flower (FR) Dom Racine (FR)
Sunland