This article was written by Chris Pitt
Chris is the author of the highly-acclaimed 'Long Time Gone' & 'Go Down to the Beaten'
Allen Richard Davis was head lad and stable jockey to Walter Buxton, who trained a small string at Lowdham Lodge, Lowdham, Nottinghamshire. Born on December 28, 1900, Buxton, whose business interests comprised property and farming, had first taken out a trainer’s licence in 1946. His final entry in Horses in Training was in 1978.
Davis rode almost exclusively for Buxton and gained a total of 16 winners during his 28-year career as a jump jockey, which spanned from 1949 to 1977.
Eight of those winners (50%) were gained on handicap hurdler Cheerer who continued racing until he was 16, his last race being at Uttoxeter on June 1, 1971. Cheerer was owned throughout his long career by Mr L E Rowson, whose colours were ‘maroon and light blue (quartered), blue sleeves, maroon cap’.
Allen Davis had his final ride on Spacious, who finished seventh in a selling hurdle at Doncaster on January 28, 1977.
His winners in chronological order were:
Alciston, Market Rasen, 10 April 1950
Bon Viveur, Market Rasen, 27 December 1951
Alciston, Chepstow, 14 April 1952
Alciston, Nottingham, 18 March 1954
Bon Viveur, Newton Abbot, 14 May 1954
Chief Constable, Cartmel, 21 May 1956
Cheerer, Wolverhampton, 29 February 1960
Cheerer, Southwell, 16 April 1960
Cheerer, Uttoxeter, 19 April 1960
Cheerer, Southwell, 17 April 1961
Cope’s Cross, Woore, 20 May 1961
Cope’s Cross, Woore, 9 June 1962
Cheerer, Uttoxeter, 27 September 1962
Cheerer, Wetherby, 9 November 1963
Cheerer, Southwell, 17 April 1965
Cheerer, Southwell, 7 March 1966