Peter Davis – a real journeyman

When Southland born horseman Peter Davis won his 500th race at Addington on Sunday (Jun. 18) it added another chapter to his remarkable harness racing career. 

Although he wasn’t from a harness racing family, Davis says his parents were keen race goers. 

He attended Newfield Primary, Tweedsmuir Intermediate before heading to Southland Boys High School. 

“We lived in the Newfield area on the outskirts of town (Invercargill) and there were a couple of trainers that trained their horses across the road. I used to go over and pat the horses,” he said. 

His career in the sport began in the fifth form when he began helping trainer Henry Skinner at the weekends and during the school holidays. This progressed to full time work there after he completed his School Certificate. 

“He was a legend. An exceptional trainer and a great horseman. We lived on the property and Chrissy and Henry were like second parents to me.”  

One of his first winners was Errol’s Lass (Yankee Express) at Gore in February 1978 for Skinner.   

“It was a junior drivers race. I backed her and she paid pretty good money. I had ten each way on her. I told Henry and he was surprised.” 

Error’s Lass paid $28.85 to win. 

“When you’re getting eighteen dollars a week it was a good return.”  

He drove seven winners for Skinner and was well supported by other Southland trainers including Alan Devery (7) and Nip Crooks (6). 

He began training on his own account after her left the Skinner stable. 

“I trained a small team of my own for a couple of years then got the job as private trainer for National Bloodstock.” 

Davis said he enjoyed his time with the Auckland based high flying harness racing organisation. 

“I was exciting times. Dave Phillips was a very clever person and the setup was revolutionary at the time. They listed on the Stock Exchange. They were involved in bringing Soky’s Atom and New York Motoring out and we were training their progeny. It was great exposure for a kid from Southland.” 

Davis was there for four years before going back to training on his own account. 

“I was only doing that for a short period. Then Brian O’Meara finished up at The Horseplayers Syndicate. They rang me and asked if I would like to take over from Brian.” 

While training for National Bloodstock and The Horseplayers Syndicate Davis was in charge of some serious horsepower, like Real Force, Trident, Tower Of Strength and Western Knight. 

“We ended up purchasing her (Western Knight) and got to what was C8, and then they bred from her.” 

He says Real Force’s win in the 1990 G1 Interdominion Trotters Grand Final was the highlight of his career. 

“I fell in love with him at the Yearling Parade prior to the Karaka Sales. He was all American bred by Florida Pro out of a Super Bowl mare. I thought he’d be pretty expensive. They couldn’t get a bid on him. I was outside the ring talking to Steve Phillips and I rushed in and bought him for $4,250. I was going to keep him but at the time I was only allowed one horse in work. They ended up slotting him into one of their syndicates.” 

Real Force won his first race on the grass at Rotorua and his true potential was highlighted when he ran third to Sundon in the 1990 Antico Stakes in Auckland. 

Shortly afterwards he was sent over to contest the Victoria Derby where he ran second. Although he was supposed to return to New Zealand after that run he didn’t. 

“Horseplayers contacted the owner to see whether the horse could come back for the Interdominion so that’s how we got him back.” 

That year the pacing Interdominions were run in Australia while the trotting series was held at Addington in March. 

“They raced the pacers series in a state that didn’t have trotting races. He was bred to American time so Real Force had only just turned four. So it was a phenomenal effort. He broke down after that, he did a hind suspensory. We endeavoured to get him back to the races but couldn’t. Had he stayed sound he would have had a hell of a future.” 

Once he finished at Horseplayers, Davis went to America with his new partner Margo Nyhan. 

“We did two stints initially in California then Canada. The first time I just drove, and Margo and I were second trainers for the people we worked for. The second time we took a horse called Son Of Kiwi (Cam’s Trickster) and I trained him. He did a good job, and we on-sold him. When we came back from Canada the second time John Hay was finishing at Spreydon Lodge and they were looking for a replacement. The timing was perfect. I had a two year stint there.” 

Peter and Margo also had a few of their own horses so at that point Margo took out a trainer’s license.  

“When I finished at Spreydon Lodge I didn’t renew my trainer’s license. We just left them in her name.” 

Peter has driven the winners of six feature races; Paramount Gee Gee in the 2010 G3 New Zealand Trotting Stakes, Zhirinovsky in the 2004 Listed Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup, Happy Golucky in the 1999 G2 Nevele R Stakes, 2004 Methven Cup winner Kiwi Kosby and 2006 Green Mile winner I’m A Dazzler.  

Of his 500 winning drives 157 have been for himself, 134 for Margo, and 8 each for Dave Anderson and Stephen Hale.  

His biggest winners (by wins) have been The Gigolo (11), Fly The Flag (8), Kiwi Kosby (8), Sarah Palin (8) and Zealous Lady (8).  

Margo and Peter have now come full circle and they rent a barn from Spreydon Lodge where they train between a dozen and fifteen horses. 

Included in the barn are the first two foals of Sarah Palin (Pegasus Spur). 

“They’re both by Majestic Son. The two year old bowls around quite nicely and the yearling is due back now.” 

In his forty plus year career as a well travelled Southland horseman, Peter Davis has had some pretty interesting experiences.  

Well done on reaching 500 winners Pete!!

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink