This race is named in honour of the late Phil Davis who was the Richmond Veterinary Surgeon at their race meetings for many, many years.  

Phil was held in high regard by both trainers and officials, and the Richmond Race Club, and more than a decade ago the club announced it would hold a race annually in honour of Phil's memory.

Because of their affinity with Phil, the event is one which local trainers strive to win, and in 2019 it was a local, John Finn, winning the race with Khatanga Port.

The following year, despite the industry losing many features due to Covid 19, the Phil Davis Memorial went ahead.

Spring Barty was the standout with a best of the night 30.76s in the heats, and justifiably was sent out as favourite in the final, but there were several runners given a strong show in the final and punters believed it was between the favourite, Nangar Kane and one of two Paul Roach runners in the field, Still Blue.

The trio went into the first turn together, and with the other pair colliding, it was Still Blue who got the fly and was able to comfortably hold off the other pair, clocking 30.95s in winning.

John Finn qualified a pair of littermates for the Phil Davis Final in 2021, Zipping Ontario and Zipping Virginia, the latter going to the boxes as favourite having come up with the box 1 draw.

Fastest qualifier was Andrew Bell's Ritza Tommy who clocked a stunning 30.57s in the heat, but there were a number of runners in single figure odds who were given a chance - Tap Out Lucy, Go Forward Barbs and Lenny Fox.

But showing great speed from boxrise, the Lindsay Joyce-trained Wild Emerald was able to cross from box 7 and lead around the first turn.

She was challenged up the back when running up the track, but Wild Emerald steadied again, and raced away to win in 30.84s and the big odds of $31.

While they couldn't manage a win in the event the previous year, the Finns had their victory in 2022 when the talented Tania Keeping took out the Phil Davis Memorial Final.

On the newly upgraded Richmond track, Tania Keeping powered to the lead up the back and went on to win effortlessly in a very slick 29.42s.