Trainer Alfred Davidson reaps first success as a trainer
Alfred Davidson, one of 39 conditioners who graduated from the 2023 Jamaica Racing Commission’s (JRC’s) Trainers Training programme on May 12, saddled his first winner on Saturday, February 10, 2024, when Chitu Prince won the day’s sixth race.
Chitu Prince, ridden by Raddesh Roman, made one move to win the three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($400,000-$300,000) contest that also included native-bred six-year-olds and upward (non-winners of four) and imported six-year-olds and upward (non-winners of three) over five furlongs (1,000m) straight.
Chitu Prince won ahead of Curlin’s Flight (Shane Richardson) and Queen Zan (Richard Henry) by six lengths in a time of 1:01.4 (23.0 x 46.0).
“Ever since I got my training licence, I have been dreaming about winning my first race. I have won races before, but as an owner and assistant trainer. This is my first win as a professional racehorse trainer, and I am grateful for it,” Davidson told the Jamaica Observer’s Supreme Racing Guide.
“I am really grateful for my first win. I am a groundsman; I am a backstretch man. And so I have been around the horses very often. I evolved around them, so it was just natural for me to get into the business.
“I wanted to take the double because I had Warriorstomp in the previous race, but he finished in fourth place. We claimed Chitu Prince for $250,000 level, and we began to work with him. We knew that he could handle $400,000 claiming, so we came here. I am just working to produce more winners, and that’s just what it’s all about: Getting good horses to work with and present them,” he added.
“I came into racing as a youngster at the age of 13. I came to ride, and my favourite trainer was Donald Andrade. He taught me all about the game until I became a groom and moved on from there. When the riding school came up, at the time I was 100 lbs, and they told me that I couldn’t get into the school because I had to weigh 95 lbs, which was five pounds over the required weight.
“When my dream of becoming a rider crashed, I became a groom. I then left the island, and when I returned, I became an owner. I stayed in the game until I became an assistant trainer to a few trainers here, including Anthony ‘Baba’ Nunes, during the COVID-19 time,” Davidson explained.