Jack Davison dreaming of a maiden Royal Ascot winner
Meath trainer fell in love with the event while training on the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program
Friday, 14 June 2024
Davison is looking to eclipse his best finish at Ascot to date when Mooniesta finished fourth in the King's Stand Stakes in 2022
I’ve got three horses going there next week with a live chance, if one of them can hit the bullseye it would be a dream come true - Jack Davison
Jack Davison has been plotting a Royal Ascot winner for more than a decade and the trainer’s latest quest promises to be one of the highlights of his career, writes Ben Hart.
The Meath handler fires Take Me to Church, Bergamasco and Scorchio at next week’s meeting from a yard of just 20 horses.
Davison made his first trip to Ascot while training on the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program in 2013 and the opportunity sparked an immense desire to register a Royal winner of his own.
“I was doing a placement in France for Francis-Henri Graffard and he sent me with his runner Pearl Flute which ran in the Jersey Stakes,” recalled Davison.
“I was about to go back into the big bad world of trying to become a trainer in my own right and I remember going to Ascot and the whole place had a massive effect on me.
“I said I’ve got to be back in here in my own right and get a winner here some day.
“That’s when I really put the blinkers on when it came to getting a Royal Ascot winner and it’s been a long journey since then but I feel like we’re getting there.
“I’ve got three horses going there next week with a live chance, if one of them can hit the bullseye it would be a dream come true.”
Six years later Davison trained an Ascot runner for the first time as Fresnel finished seventh in the Ribblesdale Stakes.
To onlookers, it may have seemed like a run of insignificance, but to Davison it was a huge shot in the arm.
“I was a complete rookie,” he said. “Fresnel was one of my first winners and at the time I probably had about five horses in training.
“I ran her in the Musidora having had no international experience campaigning horses.
“I’d had the licence for about a year and we went from the Musidora to the Ribblesdale and it was a great feeling to be there and have done it.
“It gave me the belief going forward and the aim that I wanted to be there every year, even if it was just one runner. Having done it in the very early stages and competed in a good race like the Ribblesdale, it encouraged me to keep doing it.
“I pretty much had a runner every year bar one and the best performer was Mooneista coming fourth in the King’s Stand Stakes and me being me, I want to go there and have a winner.”
Davison believes his best chance of a winner lies in the Friday finale when three-year-old filly Scorchio goes in The Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes.
It may not be the biggest race on the card, but for Davison, part of the Ascot experience is the chance to witness the very best go head-to-head.
“European turf racing, mainly in the UK, is the best in the world in my view,” said Davison.
“Royal Ascot is the epicentre of that because you’ve usually got a great track in great condition on very good ground and everybody is aiming their big guns towards Ascot.
“It’s the ultimate melting pot for European turf racing and the whole occasion, the whole scene, the vibe around it, I don’t think you get anything like that elsewhere.
“As well, timing wise, we’re smack bang in the middle of the season, so we’re seeing a lot of the best three-year-old colts and fillies and two-year-olds as well coming out now.
“So there’s a lot of excitement around seeing the next big thing as well and this year looks no different.”
Davison has already raided to great effect in the past 12 months with Thunderbear a 12/1 winner at Newbury back in September.
You sense that he would trade in a few past winners just to have the chance to experience one at Ascot.
“It’s probably going to be the most exciting week of my life,” added Davison.
“It would mean everything to get a winner because having put everything in over the last six years, to get to places like the Ascot Winners’ Enclosure – I do have those little goals – and to make it happen having put so much into it, it would mean absolutely everything.”
The Meath handler fires Take Me to Church, Bergamasco and Scorchio at next week’s meeting from a yard of just 20 horses.
Davison made his first trip to Ascot while training on the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program in 2013 and the opportunity sparked an immense desire to register a Royal winner of his own.
“I was doing a placement in France for Francis-Henri Graffard and he sent me with his runner Pearl Flute which ran in the Jersey Stakes,” recalled Davison.
"He's an exciting horse to bring to Ascot and the London Sale & I think he will suit a lot of racing jurisdictions."
— Goffs (@Goffs1866) June 14, 2024
Jack Davison's Bergamasco is catalogued as Lot 8 & holds an entry in the Britannia Handicap S. at Ascot.#GoffsLondon | @JackJdavisond pic.twitter.com/OYfHPaQo2q
“I was about to go back into the big bad world of trying to become a trainer in my own right and I remember going to Ascot and the whole place had a massive effect on me.
“I said I’ve got to be back in here in my own right and get a winner here some day.
“That’s when I really put the blinkers on when it came to getting a Royal Ascot winner and it’s been a long journey since then but I feel like we’re getting there.
“I’ve got three horses going there next week with a live chance, if one of them can hit the bullseye it would be a dream come true.”
Six years later Davison trained an Ascot runner for the first time as Fresnel finished seventh in the Ribblesdale Stakes.
To onlookers, it may have seemed like a run of insignificance, but to Davison it was a huge shot in the arm.
“I was a complete rookie,” he said. “Fresnel was one of my first winners and at the time I probably had about five horses in training.
Scorchio wins the Follow Us On Social Media Handicap for James Ryan and trainer Jack Davison pic.twitter.com/sBDREekzzP
— Cork Racecourse (@corkracecourse) May 21, 2024
“I ran her in the Musidora having had no international experience campaigning horses.
“I’d had the licence for about a year and we went from the Musidora to the Ribblesdale and it was a great feeling to be there and have done it.
“It gave me the belief going forward and the aim that I wanted to be there every year, even if it was just one runner. Having done it in the very early stages and competed in a good race like the Ribblesdale, it encouraged me to keep doing it.
“I pretty much had a runner every year bar one and the best performer was Mooneista coming fourth in the King’s Stand Stakes and me being me, I want to go there and have a winner.”
Davison believes his best chance of a winner lies in the Friday finale when three-year-old filly Scorchio goes in The Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes.
It may not be the biggest race on the card, but for Davison, part of the Ascot experience is the chance to witness the very best go head-to-head.
“European turf racing, mainly in the UK, is the best in the world in my view,” said Davison.
“Royal Ascot is the epicentre of that because you’ve usually got a great track in great condition on very good ground and everybody is aiming their big guns towards Ascot.
“It’s the ultimate melting pot for European turf racing and the whole occasion, the whole scene, the vibe around it, I don’t think you get anything like that elsewhere.
🚀 A very taking effort from Take Me To Church who lands the Irish Racing Writers Cliff Noone Memorial Madrid Handicap for @JackJdavisond @NaasRacecourse pic.twitter.com/s9RMGKGg7f
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) March 24, 2024
“As well, timing wise, we’re smack bang in the middle of the season, so we’re seeing a lot of the best three-year-old colts and fillies and two-year-olds as well coming out now.
“So there’s a lot of excitement around seeing the next big thing as well and this year looks no different.”
Davison has already raided to great effect in the past 12 months with Thunderbear a 12/1 winner at Newbury back in September.
You sense that he would trade in a few past winners just to have the chance to experience one at Ascot.
“It’s probably going to be the most exciting week of my life,” added Davison.
“It would mean everything to get a winner because having put everything in over the last six years, to get to places like the Ascot Winners’ Enclosure – I do have those little goals – and to make it happen having put so much into it, it would mean absolutely everything.”