Hywel Davies (jockey) Hywel Davies (jockey) Hywel Davies is a retired Welsh professional National Hunt jockey. He rode for 16 years with 761 wins in the UK and he ended his riding career in 1994. Davies is a Welsh speaker and didn't speak English until he was 7 years of age. He attended Cardigan Comprehensive School from 1969 until 1975. Davies was the retained jockey for Tim Forster for 8 years at his Letcombe Bassett stables near Lambourn in Berkshire. He became a freelance jockey and rode for several other trainers like Josh Gifford and Nicky Henderson. He won the 1985 Grand National
2004 Grand National after winning the Welsh National at Chepstow in the last December. He had also run well to finish second over one circuit of the Aintree course in the Becher Chase in November where he had been beaten another joint-favourite, Clan Royal. The inexperienced Jurancon II also attracted public attention after being chosen as the ride of champion jockey Tony McCoy having won the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup in February, and Joss Naylor completed the quartet after finishing second in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in November. Hedgehunter was 11–1, the 2001 Irish Grand National winner David's Lad was 12/1,