Racing Community Mourns Loss of Trainer Davison

Trainer Zoe Davison died Jan. 3 following a long battle with cancer. She was 60.

Her West Sussex yard had sent out Brown Bullet and Mr Jack to win at her beloved Plumpton, shortly before the popular trainer lost her brave fight with a disease she had been diagnosed with four and a half years ago.

Paying tribute, stable jockey Page Fuller said: "She was one of the nicest people you'd ever meet. She was such a great support to me and was crucial in helping me get going as a professional.

"She was so kind and generous, and you couldn't have written it today with the team having a double at Plumpton, her local track. It's very sad but at least she's at peace.

"The team have done so well to keep the show on the road and Zoe's strength has rubbed off on them. Hopefully they can keep it going in her memory. I'm so proud to be part of such a special team. Everybody has worked so hard."

'The most wonderful, incredible person'

Davison died at home at Shovelstrode Racing Stables, near East Grinstead, just over an hour after Mr Jack had completed the double.

Her husband, Andy Irvine, was by her bedside, with other family members around her. The pair married in 2018, with whom they have two teenage daughters, Charlotte (19) and Harriette (17), younger siblings to Gemma and Georgie.

He said: "She was the most wonderful, incredible person. I am blessed to have spent the last 24 years of my life with her."

Close friend Simon Clare said: "I saw her on Wednesday and she was so positive even then. She was an inspiration."

Earlier Brown Bullet had finished a length and a quarter clear in the two-mile novice hurdle, prompting an audible cheer from jockey James Best, before Mr Jack followed up in the two-mile handicap hurdle under replacement rider James Davies.

The yard, which began the day on three winners for this season, is being run by Davison's husband Irvine and her daughter Gemma Johnson.

"It's an emotional time," said former jockey Johnson—who rode as Gemma Gracey-Davison—after the second winner. "She loved this track and is going to be sorely missed.

"This means everything as it's a family business. We put everything in and she's the glue that holds it together. We just want to make her proud. I'm a bit overwhelmed we've had a double for mum."

An emotional Best said: "What a lovely family they are. I was in there this morning and I've had an awful lot of rides for them over the past 18 months to two years, but that was actually my first winner for Zoe.

"What a tough lady she's been the past four and a half years and you could probably see what it meant just to get a winner for the whole team. They work so hard and I can't even begin to imagine how tough it's been for Andy, Gemma, and the whole family and team around them at home."

He added: "It means a lot and I'd like to thank Zoe for all the support she's given me over the last couple of years. They do a tremendous job with everything they have and we're all thinking of the whole family."

Ed Arkell, ex-Fontwell clerk of the course and now at Goodwood, said: "Zoe was a huge part of the southern racing circuit. I'm so sorry for her family and she will be very much missed. She was a friendly, happy person who everybody loved.

"As a trainer, she ran a wonderful family operation. There are less of those these days. She supported her local tracks and became a big part of them."

Davison, born June 23, 1960, competed as an amateur rider, and sent out the first of more than 100 winners when Sails Legend triumphed at Towcester under Tony McCoy in November 1997.

The daughter of former trainer Albert Davison, the dual-purpose operator enjoyed her most successful season in 2017-18, when she trained 15 winners over jumps from 60 runners.

Among her best horses was Ruacana, who won a grade 1 when previously trained by John Ferguson. In recent years she has also trained stalwarts such as Frank N Fair, Sherjawy, Just Beware, and 10-time winner Finnegan's Garden, while the trainer herself has listed Shirley Oaks, Dark Romance, Summer Flower, and Spider Boy as others among her best horses down the years.

Davison had more than 60 runners over jumps this season, recording five winners, including Gustav, who sprung a 40-1 surprise at Leicester in November while his trainer was in hospital. 

She had plenty of memorable days and followers at tracks local to her East Grinstead base, training 28 winners at Plumpton, 11 at Fontwell, and nine at Lingfield, the three courses where she enjoyed most success.