Richard Dand

Richard Dand

1876-1950

Northern-based amateur rider Richard Dand was born in 1876 and rode a total of 40 winners over jumps, the majority in the years leading up to World War One, without ever managing a double-figure score during a season.

He made his debut under National Hunt rules at Shincliffe on March 18, 1908, finishing third on Marcus Aurelius in the Licensed Victuallers’ Selling Hurdle. He only had to wait a fortnight to record his first success – April 1, 1908 – when riding 6-4 favourite Oh Yes to victory in the Sands Selling Handicap Chase at Sedgefield.

Richard rode six winners in 1909 including a double at Hexham on Whit Monday, May 31, landing the Greenridge Handicap Chase on St Edric and the Shire National Hunt Flat Race on Golorom.

He increased his annual score in eight in 1910, five of which came courtesy of Maxim IV, comprising the Rothbury Cup in April, Hexham’s Heart of All England Cup in May, three-mile chases on both days of Hexham’s October fixture, and the Broxhills Handicap Chase at Leicester on the last day of November.

Six wins was his tally for 1911, half of them gained on Moreton, on whom he won a handicap hurdle at Sedgefield in March, a maiden chase at Carlisle on Easter Monday, and a Hexham handicap hurdle on Whit Monday.

Richard enjoyed his most successful year in 1912 with nine wins including doubles in three consecutive months. At Sedgefield on March 27, he rode Tullow Lass to win the Plodders’ Handicap Chase and Maiden Law to win the Sheraton Sweepstakes Hurdle; at Rothbury’s annual fixture on April 18, he landed the Simonside Hurdle on Clerk Of The Scales, then finished alone on Crusora in the Coquetdale Maiden Chase, both their rivals having fallen; and at Hexham on Whit Monday, May 27, he annexed the Battle Hill Hurdle on Tullow Lass and the Whitsuntide Handicap Chase on Crusora. He won four races that year on Tullow Lass: one hurdle and three chases.

He recorded yet another double at Shincliffe on March 9, 1913, landing the Bowburn Handicap Chase on Crusora and the Shincliffe Maiden Hurdle on Proud Vera, constituting half of the four winners he rode that year. He had three wins in 1914 before the restrictions of World War One came into force.

After the war, Richard pretty much restricted himself to riding in bumpers. He had his last winner on Command in the Glenearn National Hunt Flat Race at Perth on September 24, 1920. His final mount was at Carlisle on March 29, 1921 when finishing third on Anticipator in the Wetherall National Flat Race.

Richard Dand died on January 15, 1950, aged 73.