English jockey Harry Davies ends frustrating run of placings with bold frontrunning ride on Kujenga at Wyong

A win had been building for visiting English jockey Harry Davies and it finally came with a perfectly rated frontrunning ride aboard debutant Kujenga at Wyong.

Harry Davies gets his first Australian win on Kujenga (red) at Wyong on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

In football terms, English hoop Harry Davies had been “hitting the crossbar” before scoring his maiden Australian winner on promising first starter Kujenga at Wyong on Saturday.

Davies came to Australia last month for a two-month stint over the English winter in a bid to further his development as a rider but has had a frustrating run since making his debut on The Ingham day.

The 20-year-old had 29 rides throughout NSW leading into Saturday without a winner to his name but had five placings, four of which were seconds.

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Trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald continued to keep the faith in Davies and were rewarded for their loyalty when Kujenga won the opener.

Kujenga led all the way to salute in the Heritage Real Estate 2YO Open Handicap (1200m).

“We have been hitting the crossbar and when it’s like that it’s only a matter of time isn’t it,” Davies said.

“You have to trust what you are doing and Annabel (Neasham) and Rob (Archibald) have kept their faith which I am so thankful for because there have been times where they haven’t had a winner and I have had quite a good book of rides.

“A lot of trainers do blame the jockey but they have kept their faith and been very good to me.

“They obviously want me to learn to which is what it’s all about.”

Davies arrived in Australia around the same time as fellow English hoop Billy Loughnane with both hoops enjoying successful apprenticeships in the UK.

Davies already has 10 stakes winners to his name, headlined by a Group 2 success on Arabian Dusk in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes in July last year.

@daviesharry_ gets a win on the board in Australia, with KUJENGA taking out the first race at @WyongRaceClub!@ANeashamRacingpic.twitter.com/fmFoZkgz2U

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 11, 2025

Kujenga’s victory might have felt as good as a stakes winner on the feature The Lakes Day.

“It’s a completely different way of riding than back home,” Davies said.

“This track is all about gate speed and the filly showed good speed and got out pretty quick. As soon as I got the rail, I was pretty certain I would be tough to beat.

“I was able to set moderate enough fractions and I always knew she would come home good. I thought she trialled nicely and the six furlongs is obviously suited.”

Kujenga ($11) was fastest out of the gates and it proved pivotal as Davies took up the lead and never relinquished it.

The son of King’s Legacy shook off the challenge of the James Cummings-trained Barbarossa ($3 equal favourite) and went for home.

Kris Lees’ Damien ($4.40) made a late charge but rain out of time to run down Kujenga while the Bjorn Baker-trained Namaste ($3 equal favourite) was two lengths away in third.

“He (Damien) was getting close but I knew if he had to work from the bend he would be have to be good to run me down,” Davies said.

“The line came just in time.”

KING'S LEGACY wins the @ATC_races Sires Produce. @HugeBowman | @SnowdenRacing1pic.twitter.com/X7vN3Q7Sv4

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 4, 2020

It was a case of fourth time lucky for the former star colt King’s Legacy after Kujenga’s got the Coolmore based son of Redoute’s Choice off the mark as a stallion.

The ATC Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes winner covered a staggering total of 213 mares in his first season at stud including Kujenga’s dam, Jenga.

A daughter of All Too Hard, Jenga was lightly-raced, with just four starts on her resume, which opened with an emphatic debut win on Australia Day at Warwick Farm as a $1.60 favourite with Tommy Berry in the saddle.

Kujenga was Jenga’s first foal.

Her second foal, a filly by Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside, was sold for $200,000 at this week’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast.

Jenga’s next two foals are also by a Golden Slipper winner, namely Capitalist.

Kujenga pocketed her owners $105,000 which is a neat return on dual Everest winning syndicators, Triple Crown’s, $70,000 outlay at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Originally published as English jockey Harry Davies ends frustrating run of placings with bold frontrunning ride on Kujenga at Wyong