Jump race jockey Teddy Davies, a teenager, already a record holder, and having a breakout season in sanctioned racing. Here, Davies rides Brave Deacon in the second race at Blue Ridge, Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdles. / Joanne Maisano photo
Trainer Joseph Davies stood at the Entry desk on Sunday, April 17, 2022. It was at Woodley Farm near Berryville, Virginia, the traditional venue for the Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point Races. Davies trains racehorses for steeplechasing but was in earlier days a winning steeplechase jockey himself. And a two-time winner of the Maryland Hunt Cup, the stiffest timber race in the world. Davies was paying for his race entries and picking up the numbered saddle cloths.
A few other trainers waited their turn. “Congratulations, Joe, on your wins yesterday. And here you are again today!”
The speaker was referring to the previous day at the sanctioned My Lady’s Manor Races in Maryland when Davies’ son, Teddy, rode two of his dad-trained horses to victory and the purse money. There’s scant-to-no purse money in the unsanctioned, hunt-sponsored point-to-point races, but steeple-chasing started with foxhunters, and the hunt races are used by owners and trainers today to start and test their hopefuls and to condition them for the sanctioned races to come.
Davies smiled, cocked an eyebrow. “Teddy wanted to race today,” he said.
Davies’s son, Teddy, who had just turned eighteen, is only two years out of his pony-racing days, but what a talent. Only two weeks after these races at Blue Ridge, the teenager rode in his first Maryland Hunt Cup Race and won. Yes, he was aboard Vintage Vinnie, an Irish-bred super-horse trained by his father that had won the Maryland Hunt Cup the previous year and set a new course record. But Teddy also won the four-mile race with rails as thick as a man’s thigh and up to five feet high. And he also crossed the finish more than a hundred lengths in front of the nearest horse. And also set a new course record of his own.
For the Davies family―trainer Joe, Teddy, and mom Blythe Miller Davies who was also is a winning jump jock and a Maryland Hunt Cup winner in her day―the Maryland Hunt Cup blowout was still two weeks in the future. Here at Blue Ridge, we relished the chance to see the youngster in his two races. Neither of which he won!
Bella Coola, Colin Smith up, wins the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle Race. / Joanne Maisano photo
In the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle, the second race of the day, Davies jumped to an early lead on Brave Deacon, owned by his mother and trained by his father. Brave Deacon set the pace for the four-horse field, flashing smoothly by the spectators for the first pass strongly in the lead and holding it all the way around. At the final turn, before passing the crowd for the final time and making a straight run to the finish over the last fence, Colin Smith on Bella Coola made his move. The two horses battled for the lead at the fence and through the stretch run. At the wire, Bella Coola had the final nod that got his nose in front for the win. Bella Coola, a five-year-old chestnut mare, is owned by Mary Voss and Peter Webb and trained by Elizabeth Voss.
Huyana, Colin Smith up, goes wire-to-wire to win the Restricted Young Adult Flat Race. / Joanne Maisano photo
Jockey Colin Smith won the next race as well, the Young Adult Flat Race, on Huyana, trained by Casey Pinkard. Three weeks earlier, Huyana won the Amateur/Novice Rider Timber Race at the Piedmont Point-to-Point.
In the Young Adult Flat Race at Blue Ridge, Huyana took the lead from the start. Big Dave, Camille deStanley up, settled behind within striking distance but never got any closer. On the backside, Huyana opened the lead and romped home uncontested. The seven-year-old brown gelding is a maternal grandson of Danzig.
Profiteer, Paul Cawley up, bests a four-horse field in the Novice Timber Race . / Joanne Maisano photo
Trainer Casey Pinkard saddled a second winner this day―Profiteer, owned by Frank Bonsal. It was the final race of the day, Novice Timber, with Paul Cawley in the irons. Cawley was content to hold Profiteer behind the four-horse field, though always within striking distance. Easy Exit led first, tired, and Love of the Bay took the lead. In the final three quarters Mo’s In the House took his turn in front. Approaching the last fence, Profiteer was asked and he delivered, winning by three lengths going away.
Felix Leiter (#1), Brett Owing up, wins the Maiden Hurdle Race going away. Shendam (#3), Paul Cawley up, makes a good effort but places second. / Joanne Maisano photo
Trainer Mark Beecher and rider Brett Owings teamed up for two trips to the winner’s circle: for the first race, Maiden Hurdle, and the fourth race, Novice Rider Flat. In the opening hurdle race, Beecher-trained Felix Leiter, a maternal grandson of A. P. Indy, with Owen up, stayed in touch with the pace-setters, moving to the front at around the halfway mark. Shendam, Paul Cawley up, responded by passing and taking the lead for himself. The pair raced each other to the final furlong where Felix Leiter made a final effort and won by two lengths going away.
In the Sheila Baldwin Memorial Novice Rider Flat Race, Real Story (#9), Brett Owings up, led the field from start to finish. / Joanne Maisano photo
In the Novice Rider Flat Race, the Beecher-Owings team had Real Story sprint to a comfortable lead and hold it all the way around. Grey Giant, Teddy Davies up, made a strong effort to catch the leader, but was a half-length short at the finish.
Click for complete results of all races.
Posted May 12, 2022
With appreciation for the meticulous Central Entry website maintained by Will and Kathleen O’Keefe.