There was a time when Angela Davies scoured the bottom end of a sales draft trying to find a horse she could afford.
For 25 years she battled to survive as a trainer, only ever having two or three gallopers.
Suddenly, things have changed.
Davies has one of the best strike rates in the country with 18 winners from 41 starters, the most recent the Ramornie Handicap-bound Magic Cassius at Newcastle on Wednesday.
Her team has swelled to eight and at Warwick Farm on Saturday, Davies will chase her second metropolitan win this week with She’s A Stalker in the JDC Flooring Handicap (1300m).
Davies’ star has been on the rise for the past 18 months and she credits the backing of Ron Burns’ Ronstel Thoroughbreds and owner Ron Puiatti for giving her some buying power, some horses and a chance.
“I couldn’t even get a horse. No-one would give me a horse,” Davies said.
“I had to go and buy them myself. Buy cheapies and I won races with cheapies and really slogged it out for 25 years.
“I used to go to Scone and have $2000 and I went up to the Magic Millions (this year) and spent $500,000.”
Davies is a hands-on trainer. She and her partner look after every aspect of their operation.
She trains from a property near Gosford on the NSW Central Coast and prides herself on placing her horses in winnable races.
Davies doesn’t come to town on a whim so it is pertinent she has decided to run She’s A Stalker at Warwick Farm.
A $70,000 Magic Millions purchase, the filly steps up to Saturday class after a solid midweek win at Canterbury.
The victory came at start number three. The other two runs Davies would rather forget.
She’s A Stalker failed to finish on debut after striking herself shortly after the start and cutting her leg.
She was spelled, resuming during the recent Scone carnival with a luckless midfield effort.
I thought, `wow, here’s our chance to get some big money’,” Davies said of Scone.
“He rode her a little too well I think. James McDonald tried to be a little too clever and finished up on the fence with nowhere to go.”
With Corey Brown aboard, She’s A Stalker bounced back to win last start despite struggling in the heavy conditions.
She’s A Stalker should get a better track at Warwick Farm which was slow on Thursday.
Brown has stuck with her and she is equal favourite with TAB Sportsbet at $3.60.
