Dan Behan

Dan Behan

Article by Alan Trout

Daniel Behan was apprenticed to Major J. D. Edwards and rode briefly on the Flat in 1911. He had his first ride on April 8 when unplaced on Pearl Wave in the Wilts Selling Plate. Although he failed to make an impact on the Flat, his career over jumps was much more successful.  

His first winner was achieved in rather unusual circumstances; a walkover at Kempton Park on Boxing Day 1914. His mount in the Kempton Park Maiden Chase was the appropriately-named (in view of the temporary lull in hostilities on the Western Front the previous day) Fleeting Peace, who had already won two races that month, ridden by two of the leading amateurs of that time in Jack Anthony and Leslie Brabazon.  

It would be nine years, long after hostilities had ended, before Dan Behan again visited the winner’s enclosure. The drought was ended when Mr Madcap won the Corporation Chase at Hereford on Easter Monday 1923. Mr Madcap would go on to win plenty more races and at one stage was rated the country’s best two-mile chaser. 

Thereafter, Dan rode a few winners each season, achieving a best score of eight in 1924, four of which came courtesy of selling chaser Yeoman, trained by David Harrison at Tenby. Among the highlights were a third-place finish on Mr Madcap in the 1924 Welsh Grand National. 

He had one ride in the Grand National itself, in 1926, completing the course 13th of the 14 finishers on 66-1 shot Red Bee, the race being won by the ill-fated William Watkinson on Jack Horner. 

Earlier that month, Dan had ridden his last winner at Lingfield Park, when 11-8 on favourite Golden Ashe, trained by the Hon. Aubrey Hastings, had been a 12-length winner of the Lewes Chase. Although he continued to hold a licence until the 1929/30 season, he did not manage to add to his tally of 18 wins. 

Dan Behan’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Fleeting Peace, Kempton Park, December 26, 1914 (walkover)

2. Mr Madcap, Hereford, April 2, 1923

3. Edena Grena, Monmouth, April 12, 1923

4. Joseph The First, Pershore, May 5, 1924

5. Yeoman, Cowbridge (Glamorgan Hunt), May 15, 1924

6. Salona, Monmouth, May 24, 1924

7. Yeoman, Colwall Park, May 26, 1924

8. Yeoman, Pershore, September 23, 1924

9. Yeoman, Ludlow, October 16, 1924

10. Rousham, Monmouth, October 27, 1924

11. Equancourt, Monmouth, October 28, 1924

12. Equancourt, Tenby, January 8, 1925

13. Jospeh The First, Cowbridge (Glamorgan Hunt), May 7, 1925

14. Equancourt, Monmouth, May 22, 1925

15. Martin Lad, Isle of Wight, September 23, 1925

16. Mountain Blue, Uttoxeter, December 19, 1925

17. Toc, Bournemouth, November 4, 1925

18. Golden Ashe, Lingfield Park, March 4, 1926