Plumpton’s daughter Gemelle, a former jockey who worked with her mother at Shovelstrode, had been updating fans and family via social media. Recently she announced that her mother’s condition had deteriorated and the cancer had spread. Saying they were taking it “day-by-day”.
Announcing the news on Twitter, Gemelle said;
“Where do I start?! Firstly I would really like to say thank you to everyone for all your well wishes and support. I know mum would be overwhelmed by the messages. It is the hardest thing in the world saying goodbye to your mum, best friend and work partner.”
She continued, “Mum, you are truly an inspiration in so many ways, your strength fighting through this awful disease.
“Not once did you complain, not once did you feel sorry for yourself. You went through life with a smile on your face, the horses were and always will be all of you.
“I hope that people can appreciate what you achieved with the horses you had over the years. “Most people would turn their heads away, but you being you would take them under your wing, to try and guide them to success.”
Gemelle vowed to continue the training work she was involved with in with her mother, saying, “We’re going to carry on what you started, and hope that one day we might get a Saturday horse that you’d always dreamed of.”
It seems incredible moving that Davidson passed away just over an hour after hearing of her double success to Plumpton. As her condition worsened, her family revealed that she was trying to hold on to see Christmas, she got that wish and also heard the news of this double win.
Her husband Andy Irvine, was by her bedside, alongside other members of the family as she passed and said of Zoe;
“She was the most wonderful, incredible person. I am blessed to have spent the last 24 years of my life with her.” Friend Simon Clare said: “I saw her on Wednesday and she was so positive even then. She was an inspiration.”
After the race, daughter Gemelle said, “I’m a bit overwhelmed we’ve had a double for mum. Hopefully we have made her proud. It’s surreal. Our team is a family business and we put everything into it. She will be thoroughly missed as she is the glue that holds us together.”
Plumpton Racecourse, the venue for the Brown Bullet & Mr Jack Win wins, sent out a Tweet on Sunday night. It read: There were some lovely performances on track today, but there is only one person to mention tonight – Rest in Peace Zoe. You will forever be a firm favourite at Plumpton, and we will miss you greatly, but you will never be forgotten here -as a place or by the people you knew here.
