Edgar (Spider) Davies
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Apprentice Edgar ‘Spider’ Davies suffered the misfortune of having his biggest winner disqualified. He also came close to landing another big prize later in his career.
Apprentice Edgar ‘Spider’ Davies suffered the misfortune of having his biggest winner disqualified. He also came close to landing another big prize later in his career.
Edgar Alfred Davies, almost always known by his nickname ‘Spider’, was apprenticed to Ron Smyth at Epsom at the same time as another smart youngster, John Sharman. Edgar rode his first three winners on Smyth’s sprinter Bushboy, the first of them in an
Edgar Alfred Davies, almost always known by his nickname ‘Spider’, was apprenticed to Ron Smyth at Epsom at the same time as another smart youngster, John Sharman. Edgar rode his first three winners on Smyth’s sprinter Bushboy, the first of them in an
apprentices’ handicap at Folkestone on August 8, 1960. He came in for particular praise when keeping his mount going to hold off the strong challenge of Geoff Lewis on Colewort at Wolverhampton in September. He rode three more winners in 1961, two on Ron Smyth’s juvenile Cotytto and an end of season Leicester apprentices’ race on Mercy Bookoo for fellow Epsom trainer Peter Ashworth. He doubled his score to six in 1962, the last of which was for Manton trainer George Todd on Santaway at Hurst Park in October.
apprentices’ handicap at Folkestone on August 8, 1960. He came in for particular praise when keeping his mount going to hold off the strong challenge of Geoff Lewis on Colewort at Wolverhampton in September. He rode three more winners in 1961, two on Ron Smyth’s juvenile Cotytto and an end of season Leicester apprentices’ race on Mercy Bookoo for fellow Epsom trainer Peter Ashworth. He doubled his score to six in 1962, the last of which was for Manton trainer George Todd on Santaway at Hurst Park in October.
He began 1963 by dead-heating for fourth place in the Lincolnshire Handicap on Ron Smyth’s Magnus. His first winner that year
He began 1963 by dead-heating for fourth place in the Lincolnshire Handicap on Ron Smyth’s Magnus. His first winner that year
came on Cyril Mitchell’s Hard Match in the valuable (£2,317 10s to the winner) Crocker Bulteel Stakes (right) a three-year-old handicap, at Ascot on May 3. However, he was robbed of an even more valuable prize three months later when finishing first past the post in the Brighton Challenge Cup, beating Duncan Keith’s mount Touroy by a neck, only to be disqualified for crossing and placed second.
came on Cyril Mitchell’s Hard Match in the valuable (£2,317 10s to the winner) Crocker Bulteel Stakes (right) a three-year-old handicap, at Ascot on May 3. However, he was robbed of an even more valuable prize three months later when finishing first past the post in the Brighton Challenge Cup, beating Duncan Keith’s mount Touroy by a neck, only to be disqualified for crossing and placed second.
Spider completed his apprenticeship at the end of that month, August 1963, and was obliged to ride for the remainder of the season without the benefit of a claim. Even so, he managed two winners early in September, on Ron Smyth’s Filey Camp for holiday camp king Billy Butlin at Lewes, and on Peter Ashworth’s Mercy Bookoo at Epsom.
Spider completed his apprenticeship at the end of that month, August 1963, and was obliged to ride for the remainder of the season without the benefit of a claim. Even so, he managed two winners early in September, on Ron Smyth’s Filey Camp for holiday camp king Billy Butlin at Lewes, and on Peter Ashworth’s Mercy Bookoo at Epsom.
He made a good start to 1964, winning a second successive Crocker Bulteel Stakes, this time on Filey Camp. Thereafter, however, the supply of winners dwindled, his only other victory that year being on Cyril Mitchell’s sprinter Espeekay at Leicester in September.
He made a good start to 1964, winning a second successive Crocker Bulteel Stakes, this time on Filey Camp. Thereafter, however, the supply of winners dwindled, his only other victory that year being on Cyril Mitchell’s sprinter Espeekay at Leicester in September.
Although he didn’t lack for rides – 70 in 1964, 90 in 1965 – he only managed one more winner, on Ron Smyth’s juvenile Lumbered in the Ogbourne Nursery Handicap at Salisbury on August 11, 1965
Although he didn’t lack for rides – 70 in 1964, 90 in 1965 – he only managed one more winner, on Ron Smyth’s juvenile Lumbered in the Ogbourne Nursery Handicap at Salisbury on August 11, 1965
On Saturday, July 1, 1967, following a spell in the wilderness, Spider came in for the mount on Tommy Gosling’s colt Quartette, a 33/1 outsider, in the W.D. & H.O. Wills Gold Trophy, a £4,150 three-year-old handicap, at Lingfield Park. Prominent until entering the straight, Quartette came again inside the final furlong but could not quite peg back Ginger Boy, the mount of Alan Watlow.
On Saturday, July 1, 1967, following a spell in the wilderness, Spider came in for the mount on Tommy Gosling’s colt Quartette, a 33/1 outsider, in the W.D. & H.O. Wills Gold Trophy, a £4,150 three-year-old handicap, at Lingfield Park. Prominent until entering the straight, Quartette came again inside the final furlong but could not quite peg back Ginger Boy, the mount of Alan Watlow.
We will never know what winning that BBC-televised big Saturday handicap on Quartette might have led to. It may just have revitalised the career of Edgar ‘Spider’ Davies. As things turned out, he rode for one more season before giving up the unequal struggle in 1968.
We will never know what winning that BBC-televised big Saturday handicap on Quartette might have led to. It may just have revitalised the career of Edgar ‘Spider’ Davies. As things turned out, he rode for one more season before giving up the unequal struggle in 1968.
Edgar ‘Spider’ Davies’s winners were, in chronological order
Edgar ‘Spider’ Davies’s winners were, in chronological order
1. Bushboy, Folkestone, August 8, 1960
1. Bushboy, Folkestone, August 8, 1960
2. Bushboy, Lewes, August 15, 1960
2. Bushboy, Lewes, August 15, 1960
3. Bushboy, Wolverhampton, September 12, 1960
3. Bushboy, Wolverhampton, September 12, 1960
4. Cotytto, Brighton, May 15, 1961
4. Cotytto, Brighton, May 15, 1961
5. Cotytto, Epsom, May 30, 1961
5. Cotytto, Epsom, May 30, 1961
6. Mercy Bookoo, Leicester, November 6, 1961
6. Mercy Bookoo, Leicester, November 6, 1961
7. Miss Faraday, Nottingham, April 2, 1962
7. Miss Faraday, Nottingham, April 2, 1962
8. Miss Klaire II, Sandown Park, April 27, 1962
8. Miss Klaire II, Sandown Park, April 27, 1962
9. Mercy Bookoo, Kempton Park, May 11, 1962
9. Mercy Bookoo, Kempton Park, May 11, 1962
10. Deep Depression, Folkestone, June 25, 1962
10. Deep Depression, Folkestone, June 25, 1962
11. Miss Klaire II, Folkestone, August 28, 1962
11. Miss Klaire II, Folkestone, August 28, 1962
12. Santaway, Hurst Park, October 10, 1962
12. Santaway, Hurst Park, October 10, 1962
13. Hard Match, Ascot, May 3, 1963
13. Hard Match, Ascot, May 3, 1963
14. Filey Camp, Lewes, September 2, 1963
14. Filey Camp, Lewes, September 2, 1963
15. Mercy Bookoo, Epsom, September 6, 1963
15. Mercy Bookoo, Epsom, September 6, 1963
16. Filey Camp, Ascot, May 1, 1964
16. Filey Camp, Ascot, May 1, 1964
17. Espeekay, Leicester, September 22, 1964
17. Espeekay, Leicester, September 22, 1964
18. Lumbered, Salisbury, August 11, 1965
18. Lumbered, Salisbury, August 11, 1965
