‘Unheard of numbers’: Trainer Angela Davies continues to beat the odds with small stable at Gosford

In this era where some trainers have hundreds of horses in work and blue blood million-dollar yearlings are commonplace, Angela Davies and Our Kobison are something of an anomaly.

Trainer Angela Davies (right) and her stable star, Our Kobison. Pictures: Getty Images

In this era where some trainers have hundreds of horses in work and blue blood million dollar yearlings are commonplace, Angela Davies and Our Kobison are something of an anomaly.

The trainer only has about 10 in full work at her Gosford stable base most of the time and the modestly-bred sprinter is her star boarder – but don’t let that fool you.

Davies just happens to boast the best winning strike-rate of any trainer in mainstream racing and Our Kobison, a track record holder at Rosehill, is a promising and gifted sprinter.

At Royal Randwick on Saturday, both Davies and Our Kobison get the chance to enhance their reputations in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1100m).

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Since 2000, Davies has trained at least one winner from every four runners at a strike-rate close to 25 per cent. There have even been some seasons in which the trainer’s strike-rate has been as high as 42 per cent.

These are unheard of numbers for a stable that has regular starters in the metropolitan and provincial areas.

Davies deliberately restricts her stable size – it’s the way she likes to train, her theory is to make every runner count – which she obviously does better than most.

The trainer’s extraordinary winning strike-rate is part of the reason she was given Our Kobison to train.

“I got a phone call one day out of the blue from (part-owner and breeder) Jodie Fessopoulos asking if I would train Our Kobison for them,’’ Davies said.

“They had been watching me for years and wanted to give me a horse.’’

Davies studied the horse’s breeding and although it would not have made much if offered at a yearling sale, the trainer felt there was “something there” and agreed to train for her new clients.

Our Kobison returns with a bang at Randwick! 💥@mcacajamez@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/wLi1opP6Cw

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 10, 2024

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Our Kobison’s sire, Kobayashi, is a son of I Am Invincible and showed early promise, winning a stakes race as a two-year-old before pulling up lame when unplaced at Moonee Valley as a spring three-year-old and was retired to stud.

Kobayashi was acquired by the Aquis breeding operation and placed at Tony Gorring’s Hazelwood Stud on the Darling Downs in Queensland.

Fessopoulos was a part-owner when Kobayashi was racing and wanted to support the young stallion at stud but there was a significant problem – she didn’t have a broodmare to send to him!

The story goes she rang Gorring and asked if there was any chance he had a mare she could “loan” for Kobayashi’s debut breeding season.

To her surprise, Gorring offered a Fastnet Rock mare named Orne River, a moderate racehorse whose only win in six starts was a Lismore maiden.

Our Kobison was the result of the mating and eventually he ended up at Davies’ Gosford stables.

Davies didn’t push Our Kobison early on and waited until January of his three-year-old season to send him to the races. The gelding won on debut at Newcastle.

Our Kobison is now a five-year-old and has still only had 13 starts, winning six races and being placed five times, earning more than $450,000 prizemoney.

One of those wins came at Rosehill last February when Our Kobison sped around the 1200m course in a brilliant 1m 8.30s.

Our Kobison and @KPMcEvoy break All Our Mob's 1200m Rosehill track record! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oxNvPPTdr0

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 3, 2024

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No horse has ever run faster around the course and distance and that includes all the famous Golden Slipper winners like Todman, Sky High, Pago Pago, Vain, Baguette, Toy Show, Manikato, Luskin Star, Sir Dapper, Bounding Away, Tierce, Dance Hero, Miss Finland, Sepoy and Pierro.

Davies has trained some talented racehorses over the years including Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner Through The Cracks but she rates Our Kobison as the best she has trained.

“Our Kobison is more brilliant than Through The Cracks,’’ she said.

“But I think Through The Cracks had a lot of issues and being fair and equal, he probably should have won a stakes race.

“We didn’t see the best of Through The Cracks because every time we put pressure on him, he would get sick. He had a virus every preparation and he had terrible feet.

“But Our Kobison is pretty sound and hasn’t got any issues at this stage.’’

Davies has urged Our Kobison’s owners to be patient as the sprinter has been slow to mature.

“I’ve told the owners, we won’t over-race the horse and we will just let him go through his preparations,’’ the trainer said.

“There’s nothing to say this horse might not toughen up more and be competitive at Group level.

“He can run the time as he showed at Rosehill earlier this year so he has the natural ability.

“I said to the owners if we keep him sound, he can keep going for another couple of years at least.’’

Our Kobison began his latest preparation with a stakes placing in the Listed Starlight Stakes on a soft 7 surface at Rosehill three weeks ago, finishing second behind Eagle Nest.

Eagle Nest flies in the ✨ Starlight Stakes ✨ and wins with @tomo_sherry in the saddle for @GRyanRacing 🦅@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/VCVo5Ei8YI

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 30, 2024

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It was the first time in his career that Our Kobison had struck a wet track and Davies feels the surface might have dulled the sprinter’s brilliance.

Davies feels if the track had been in the good range for the Starlight Stakes, the result might have been different.

“If that track had been firm I think he would have won, to be honest,’’ Davies said.

“When Kerrin (McEvoy, jockey) came back in, he said there was a lot of merit in the run.

“Kerrin said the track was closer to a heavy 8 than a soft 7 and Our Kobison didn’t like it, but he ploughed through it.’’

Our Kobison settled in third position during the race but at the top of the straight seemed to be really struggling and likely to drop out of contention.

However, the five-year-old gelding showed admirable determination under pressure and rallied to finish second, beaten just over a length.

“I thought he certainly ‘toughed’ it out,’’ Davies said.

“I didn’t give him two trials before that race and it ended up being a soft track.

“I was hoping ‘summer, dry tracks, you beauty’, but we copped the wet track. On a firm track I think he would have got away with it.’’

Our Kobison is second-up at Royal Randwick on Saturday and was allocated 61kg by Racing NSW handicappers which prompted Davies to use 2kg claiming apprentice Molly Bourke on Saturday.

Talented apprentice Molly Bourke will ride Our Kobison on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

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“I’ve gone with Molly, she takes 2kg off and that brings ‘Kobi’ in with 59kg which I think is a winnable weight,’’ Davies said.

“I’m just a bit reluctant to let him run with 61kg. I know it is only a sprint but that is a lot of weight and he is only second-up from a spell.’’

In TAB Fixed Odds betting, Our Kobison is the early favourite at $4.20 in a very competitive sprint. Time To Boogie is pressing at $4.40 with Garza Blanco and In Flight at $5.

Davies is delighted with Our Kobison’s progress since his first-up run with the trainer making use of Gosford’s new course proper to finetune the gelding’s preparation ahead of Saturday’s race.

“The new track is outstanding,’’ Davies said. “The camber on the turn, it is like silk and the horses are so balanced.

“My track rider said ‘Kobi’ has never felt more balanced and more smooth in his action. He looks super, he’s going great.

“If he runs well on Saturday, we will probably back him up in the Canterbury race on New Year’s Day (Listed $200,000 Canterbury Sprint). I think the Canterbury track will suit him, too.’’

Originally published as ‘Unheard of numbers’: Trainer Angela Davies continues to beat the odds with small stable at Gosford