Following the passing of renowned jockey Terry Lucas at the age of 72, the racing industry is in grief.
He rode more than 1,500 winners all around the world, making him a legend in British and Australian racing.
He was, however, most known to local gamblers for his association with the late trainer Mick Easterby.
They started working together in 1979 and continued until 2010, when Lucas went back to his native Australia.
Easterby posted on the internet about how he referred to Lucas as “God” because of how skilled he was while riding.
The Yorkshire trainer said: “He’d ride out in the morning then he’d be off to the races.
“The man was simply tireless and one of the best jockeys I have ever seen.
“‘I’ve got God working for me’, I’d tell people.
“That’s what I called him. ‘God’.
“Over the years he picked up several nicknames, including ‘The Wombat’ and ‘Cool Hand Luke’, but to me Terry was always ‘God’.”
Lucas had a remarkable talent for identifying potential winners among the horses.
Easterby recalls how Lucas claimed he would win the Gimcrack if blinkers were used after placing fourth on Wiganthorpe.
He added: “Later that month Wiganthorpe did indeed win the Gimcrack, where he wore a set of blinkers.
“Sadly Terry didn’t ride as the horse’s new owner, Robert Sangster, set out that Willie Carson would be the jockey.”
Lucas rode his final winner for Easterby on We’ll Meet Again at Wolverhampton in January 2005.
He retired as a rider aged 54 but stayed with the yard as travelling head lad.
Easterby added: “He was quite simply the best judge of a horse I have ever known, with an unbelievable racing brain.
“There’ll never be another quite like Terry.”
