Shirley Davidson, who has passed away aged 88, refused to allow her lack of transport prevent her from pursuing her beloved sport of greyhound racing.
When Davidson's partner died several years ago, she was left without the means to take her greyhounds to the races as she had never held a driver's licence.
In an interview in 2019 Davidson said: "I have to nominate my dogs for race meetings according to whether I think I can get a lift to the track.
"I don't enter for race meetings if I know I'll struggle to get there.''
Successful trainer Charlie Gatt, a close friend, said: "Shirley loved her dogs and although she mostly raced giveaways, they were all looked after impeccably.
"Over the past 12 months a fellow trainer, John Mason, was kind enough to take Shirley and her dogs to their race meetings.''
Shirley Davidson took out her trainer's licence in 1974 but was involved with dogs well before then, with her brother Billy and his son, also Billy, also being greyhound trainers.
When Davidson enjoyed her biggest success, a 618m event worth $5710 at Richmond in March, 2019 with Bad Boy Goodesy, she said her dogs thrived on nothing but "TLC".
After Bad Boy Goodesy's win Davidson said: "I usually have six dogs in work but I've always had a few retired oldies as well, which I've kept and given a good home to.''
Jack Of Spades, who won three races at Richmond in January, is believed to be Davidson's last TAB winner, while she subsequently won with My Girl Fabio at Potts Park on February 19.
Charlie Gatt said: "Because Shirley was limited as to where she could race she mostly entered her dogs for meetings at Richmond, Lithgow or Potts Park.''
Davidson's best greyhound was arguably How's It Going, who scored 11 wins, including success over 280m at Wentworth Park, along with 32 placings, between 2012 and 2015.
Although she lived on her own, raced virtually nothing but giveaways and had no transport, Shirley Davidson did extremely well in training 96 winners from 2007 until early this year.
GRNSW wishes to extend its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the late Shirley Davidson.
