It’s “game on” today for Jayne

After an uncertain start to life, “quirky” four-year-old gelding Post Game (Sportswriter) faces his biggest harness racing assignment in today’s (Dec. 21) Traralgon Pacing Cup at Warragul – and a win would bring a certain satisfaction to his trainer Jayne Davies.

Although Davies has won an Inter Dominion, countless cups, and more than 40 black type features as a trainer, there’s nothing like going the full journey with a horse she thought, at one stage, would be lucky to survive.

“I trained and owned the mare Samantha Sparkle (Bettors Delight) and Post Game was her first foal – but when he was born, she stood on him, right on his head,” Davies recalled.

“We really didn’t think he could survive it because he was so badly injured. One side of his face was paralyzed, and because of that he couldn’t suckle properly so he had to be bottle fed from day one,” she said.

“The poor little thing, his bottom lip drooped, his eye was injured, and he had one ear hanging like a donkey’s, which is where he got the nickname ‘Floppy’.  We certainly didn’t think he would be ever likely to get to the track.

“But we just nursed him along. It took a long time, but gradually things sorted themselves out and he looks good now.  He is still a little bit quirky, he does like a buck, and he’s tipped a couple of people out – I don’t think he’s still really the full quid!” she laughed.

But Post Game did make it to the track as a two-year-old, weighing in at each of his three starts.  At three he had seven starts for three placings and a win, then saluted at his first two four-year-old starts.

“He is quite a big horse, and last time in it was really his first serious start to racing.  He went along quite strongly and showed us he had a nice turn of speed, so we’re looking forward to seeing how he develops this time,” Davies said.

“We will get Chris (driver Chris Alford) to look after him, because he really probably needs the run, but I think he will be doing his best work at the end,” she said.

Davies and her partner Noel Alexander, when based at Clyde, near Cranbourne were among Australia’s harness racing elite from the late 1980s to the early 2000s working teams of up to 50 horses.  They claimed multiple listed races, most notably Golden Reign’s 1995 Inter Dominion victory in New Zealand.

Davies has 1288 training winners in her own right. In her resume are three Breeders Crowns (Lombo La Fe Fe 2002; Nemeeshar 2004; and Passions Promise 2010); an APG final (Suave Stuey Lombo 2011); two Bathurst Gold Tiaras (Amongst Royalty 2006 and Aussie Made Lombo 2010); and a Bathurst Gold Crown (Soho Valencia 2011). All up 45 group and listed race successes.

She admits the couple are still finding their feet after a huge lifestyle shift earlier this year when they sold their property and relocated to the Cranbourne training centre, which is the base for around 10 trainers.

“There’s nothing like having your own property because there’s a lot going on all the time around you at a place like this, and everyone’s got to work around each other,” Davies said.

“The very big upside is that you don’t have to worry about fences or preparing the track or leaks in the paddocks – everything was getting old on our place and every time you went out the back door there was another pipe to dig up and mend!

“Nowadays we are not working a lot, around six or eight, and we get the horses worked and head off in the afternoon.

“We were breeding a few up until this year but we don’t have the facilities now, so we’re planning to go to the yearling sales and buy one or two each year, just like we’ve always done.

“You do miss having those top, top horses, like Tailamade Lombo ($1.3m in stakes), Golden Reign ($1.1 m) and Lombo La Fe Fe ($600,000) so I guess we just keep trying and see if we can get another one along the way!”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink