Ernie Davey

1890 - 1977

Born on May 20, 1890, Robert Ernest Davey – always known as Ernie – is far better remembered for being a successful Yorkshire trainer whose many big race triumphs included the Ayr Gold Cup, Brocklesby Stakes (four times), Buckingham Palace Stakes (four times) and Epsom Sprint Handicap (three times). However, he also rode 52 winners over jumps between 1920 and 1930 including the Cotswold Chase, known today as the Arkle Challenge Trophy.

He served his apprenticeship with prominent National Hunt trainer-jockey Bert Gordon at Wroughton. Contrary to his entry in the ‘Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Flat Racing’ and to his entries in various editions of ‘Directory of the Turf’, he had his first ride in public on a horse named Shydon, who fell in the Elmley Novices’ Hurdle at Pershore on May 1, 1911. The horse on which claimed to have had his first ride, Irish Oak, finishing third at Cheltenham in 1907, was evidently a lapse of memory. He did indeed finish third on Irish Oak at Cheltenham but that was not until May 15, 1912, a year after his first ride in public.

World War One intervened before he had chance to visit the winner’s enclosure for the first time. That initial success was gained on Stickler in the Greenmeadow (3yo) Juvenile Hurdle at Cardiff on October 8, 1920.

He enjoyed his two best years in 1921 and 1922, riding 11winners in each. He won the first three races on the card at Torquay’s traditional Easter Monday fixture on April 17, 1922, aboard Farphone in the Torquay Selling Handicap Hurdle, Madrigal in the Tor Abbey Chase and Farphone again who completed his second win on the same afternoon in the Ladies’ Handicap Hurdle. Ernie had not only ridden Madrigal to victory at the annual Beaufort Hunt meeting earlier that month, but he also trained him, having taken out a trainer’s licence at the start of 1922, hence Madrigal would have been one of his earliest winning horses.

He achieved his greatest success as a trainer and jockey when guiding Manito to victory in the 1928 renewal of the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham’s National Hunt meeting.

He rode what proved to be his last winner as a jockey on 5-1 chance Kingsdown – who he also trained – in the Alton Towers Chase at Uttoxeter on April 5, 1930. He continued to take the occasional mount, mostly on his own horses, and had his final ride in public when finishing unplaced on Fawn in the Uckfield Selling Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton on March 27, 1937.

Based initially at Lochmaben, in Dumfries, he subsequently moved to Wetherby and then to the Star Cottage stable at Malton where he spent the remainder of his training career. Although most of the horses he trained were only handicappers or selling platers, he was consistently successful. His best horse was Fair Seller who cost just £50 but went on to land the Ayr Gold Cup in 1951.

Another of his many bargains was the mare Granville Greta, who won 17 races after being bought out of a Doncaster seller for 530 guineas. She ran in the Epsom Sprint Handicap in five successive years, winning in 1961 (ridden by Brian Lee), 1963 (with Bruce Raymond) and 1964 (with Bill Williamson). She also finished second in both 1962 (ridden by Lester Piggott) and 1965 (Bill Williamson).

Ernie Davey’s horses tended to come to hand early in the season and he won the year’s first two-year-old race, the Brocklesby Stakes at Lincoln, four times, with Margaret Ann (1947), Indian Chalice (1948), Maid of the Wood (1952) and Fair Gledhill (1956).

Many good northern jockeys served their apprenticeships with him, including Johnny Seagrave, Jimmy Etherington, Dennis Buckle, Jock Skilling, Lionel Brown, Ron Sheather and Brian Lee. His son, Paul Davey, trained for leading owner David Robinson with great success.

Ernie Davey retired at the end of 1974. He died in September 1977, aged 87.