Richard Bevan

Richard Bevan

Article by Alan Trout

Having ridden five winners as an amateur over jumps, Richard Charles Bevan turned professional and added another eleven. His first six victories were on horses trained by Bill Preece, with Bill Clay being responsible for the other ten. 

Richard had his first success at Uttoxeter on May 2, 1987, when Crowecropper recorded a comfortable victory in the Tom Beckett Challenge Trophy Handicap Chase for amateur riders, beating Tierenee by six lengths. They won again at Windsor later that year. He also won three chases within 19 days on Baluchi in the spring of 1988. 

He turned professional the following season and made a good start with a win on just his third ride in the paid ranks when Crowecropper came through for him again by winning the Willis Wrighton North Handicap Chase at Bangor-on-Dee on October 15, 1988 by 25 lengths. They may have been slightly fortunate as Chipped Metal appeared to hold every chance when falling at the last fence. 

Among the highlights were four wins in decent contests at Southwell on the hurdler Hill Beagle between November 1989 and February 1990. These were all gained on Southwell’s Fibresand surface during the period of all-weather jump racing. It was discontinued in 1994 following a series of fatalities.  

Richard had over 150 rides during that 1989/90 season, one of the last being his final win when the 13-year-old Ardent Spy held off the challenge of Norman Williamson’s mount Proverity to take the Freddy Dixon Memorial Handicap Chase at Uttoxeter on May 10, 1990. They finished fourth when returning to the course later that month. He had rides the following season but no more wins. 

As a stable lad, he worked twice for David Nicholson and once for Captain Tim Forster. In that time, he looked after Charter Party, which he led up twelve times. Charter Party won on three of those occasions, including its first victory at the Cheltenham Festival. Richard also led him up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when it fell. That was the year the race was famously run in a snowstorm. 

Another good racehorse Richard looked after was Silver Wisp, which he led up to win the Group Two Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket. He also led Silver Wisp up on three other occasions. 

Finally, Richard looked after the popular Viking Flagship, which he led up six times. It won on three of those outings, being first past the post in the Tingle Creek, Castleford Chase and Cheltenham's Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Richard Bevan’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Crowecropper, Uttoxeter, May 2, 1987

2. Crowecropper, Windsor, November 23, 1987

3. Baluchi, Ludlow, March 25, 1988

4. Baluchi, Market Rasen, April 4, 1988

5. Baluchi, Perth, April 13, 1988

6. Crowecropper, Bangor-on-Dee, October 15, 1988

7. Rimfire, Uttoxeter, October 20, 1988

8. Annie Ra, Market Rasen, January 7, 1989

9. Roy Prince, Newton Abbot, July 29, 1989

10. Aceface, Worcester, August 14, 1989

11. Hill Beagle, Southwell, November 22, 1989

12. Hill Beagle, Southwell, December 20, 1989

13. Hill Beagle, Southwell, January 6, 1990

14. Sayant, Southwell, February 2, 1990

15. Hill Beagle, Southwell, February 12, 1990

16. Ardent Spy, Uttoxeter, May 10, 1990