Headley Davey

Amateur rider Headley Garth Davey rode in point-to-points and under National Hunt rules from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. He was successful in point-to-points and rode two winners under NH rules. His colours were white, light blue sleeves and collar, green cap.

His first National Hunt success came on his father’s horse Oxford Hill in a novice chase at Buckfastleigh on May 18, 1959. Oxford Hill was also his second winner when overturning the odds-on favourite Gin And Sherry (who finished lame) in a Taunton hunter chase on March 12, 1960.

He served in the Royal Artillery and rode in Sandown’s Royal Artillery Gold Cup six times. The first attempt in 1966 ended in a spectacular fall from Sally Brook, a photo of which appeared on the front page of the following day’s Sporting Life. It was unfortunate because Sally Brook was almost certainly the best horse in the race. In four other runs that year, when ridden by Mr Davey, she’d finished second to Polaris Missile in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham; third to top-class hunter chasers Baulking Green and Reventure at Wincanton; third behind Puddle Jumper in Cheltenham’s Clive Hunters’ Chase; and second to that year’s Cheltenham Foxhunters’ winner Straight Lady at Wincanton.

Mr Davey finished third on Star Of Somerset in the 1967 Royal Artillery Gold Cup. Reunited with Sally Brook the following year, she and her owner-rider once more ended up on the deck.

Thereafter, Mr Davey rode another of his horses, Phantom Light, in three successive renewals of the Royal Artillery Cup, finishing third in 1970, fifth in 1971 and third again in 1972.