Delighted Easterby nails fastest century with more Group 1 joy in his sights

Tim Easterby has spoken of his delight after recording his fastest century of winners for the year when Motarajel’s victory at Beverley on Sunday took him to the milestone.

The Classic-winning trainer first surpassed 100 winners in 2018 before setting a personal best of 126 the following year and he is well on course to beat that figure as he sets his sights on claiming a second Group 1 of the season with Art Power in Saturday's Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock (3.30).

By the end of August 2018, the 59-year-old had recorded 90 winners and he was only on 85 at the corresponding point in 2019. Were it not for the Covid-interrupted 2020, during which he still saddled 94 winners, he would almost certainly be looking at four straight centuries.