West Sussex racing figures pay tribute after death of trainer Zoe Family, friends and jockeys united in grief after stable boss loses fight for life
Sussex-based trainer Zoe Davison has died - around an hour after her yard saddled two winners at one of her favourite courses.
The 60-year-old passed away on Sunday afternoon after a four-and-a-half year battle with cancer.
She trained horses at Shovelstrode Stud Stables in East Grinstead, the site having been run by her husband AndyIrvine and her daughter Gemelle Johnson since she became too ill to lead the operation.
Her death was announced soon after the yard scored a double at Plumpton - a track Zoe loved taking horses to.
Andrew tweeted a picture of Zoe and said: “My Beautiful best friend, wife, and Soul mate, I love you.”
It was poignant stuff as first James Best rode Brown Bullet to an 8/1 victory in the Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Novices’ Hurdle then James Davies rode Mr Jack home at 11/1 in the Watch Today’s Race Replays On attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle.
Zoe competed as an amateur rider and sent out more than 100 winners. Her most successful season was 2017-18, when she trained 15 winners over jumps from 60 runners.She trained 28 winners at Plumpton, 11 at Fontwell and nine at Lingfield, the three courses where she enjoyed most success.
Tributes to Zoe, whose first winner was ridden by AP McCoy in 1997, flooded in on Twitter.
Her daughter Gemelle, a former jockey who worked with her mum training horses, wrote: Where do I start?! Firstly I would really like to say thank you to everyone for all your well wishes and support. I know mum would be overwhelmed by the messages.
“It is the hardest thing in the world saying goodbye to your mum, best friend and work partner. Mum you are truly an inspiration in so many ways, your strength fighting through this awful disease.
“Not once did you complain, not once did you feel sorry for yourself. You went through life with a smile on your face, the horses were and always will be all of you.
“I hope that people can appreciate what you achieved with the horses you had over the years. Most people would turn their heads away, but you being you would take them under your wing, to try and guide them to success.
“Thank you for all the years of enjoyment together, especially when I was riding. We’re going to carry on what you started, and hope that one day we might get a Saturday horse that you’d always dreamed of. Goodnight mum, I will never stop loving you. You really are my hero.”
Zoe’s husband Andy Irvine tweeted a photo of her with the message: “My beautiful best friend, with, and soul mate, I love you.”
Jockey Page Fuller, who rode for Zoe’s stable, tweeted: “I don’t think words could ever describe what a kind, strong and supportive women you were. You were such a horsewoman and your patience was so frequently rewarded with tricky horses. My thoughts are with everyone at Shovelstrode but they did you proud today, thank you Zoe.”
Racing PR man Simon Clare, a close friend of the family, said: “It is hard to find the words to describe how wonderful Zoe Davison was both as a brilliant trainer of racehorses, and as a loving wife, mother and amazing friend to so many people. My life wassomuchricherforhavingher in it I will miss her desperately.”
Fontwell Park, another
Sussex track where she was a familiar face, tweeted: “RIP Zoe Davison. Devastating news this afternoon after a long battle with cancer. Everyone at Fontwell Park sends their best wishes to all the team at Shovelstrode.”
Ed Arkell, clerk of the course at Goodwood and formerly clerk at Fontwell, said: “Zoe was a huge part of the southern racing circuit. I’m so sorry for her family and she will be very much missed. She was a friendly, happy person who everybody loved.
“As a trainer, she ran a wonderful family operation. She supported her local tracks and became a big part of them.”
Heart of the South Racing said: “Our thoughts are with Zoe’s family & friends. May she rest in peace.”
West Sussex jumps trainer NickGifford sent this message to Zoe’s family: “Sending you all our love . She was such a courageous brave , amazing , kind lady . So desperately devastating for you all.”
Racing journalist Nic O’Leary, who covers the Sussex scene for Sussex Newspapers, wrote: “So sad to read that a regular on the racetracks of Sussex - Zoe Davison - has finally succumbed to her ill health.
“What better way to send her off than a double at Plumpton.”