National Hunt jockey Beverley O’Neill Smythe held a licence for seven seasons from 1963/64 to 1969/70 but rode just one winner during that time from a limited number of opportunities.
Beverley had his first mount in public on Silver Bug, trained by Wellingore, Lincolnshire handler Gordon Fleming, in division two of the Wragby Novices’ Hurdle at Market Rasen on November 16, 1963, trailing home last of the 13 runners. He rode Silver Bug again at Nottingham and Southwell in December, finishing unplaced. He had two rides at Market Rasen on Boxing Day 1963, finishing eighth of ten on Blenheim Star and seventh of eight on Silver Bug.
He rode novice hurdler Trymber three times for Wiseton, Doncaster trainer Russ Hobson during February 1964, at Sedgefield, Haydock and Wetherby, but was replaced by another 7lb claimer when the horse scored as the 7/4 favourite at Market Rasen on Easter Monday.
Beverley finally enjoyed his moment in the sun when springing a 33/1 shock on the Hobson-trained Mixed French in division two of the Priory Place Novices’ Chase at Doncaster on Tuesday, March 22, 1966. They then finished a distant runner-up in an incident-packed chase at Southwell on April 9, Beverley having remounted after being unseated at the last fence to finish second of three finishers, with the winner being the only one of the ten runners to complete the course without mishap.
He and Mixed French came close to recording a second victory next time out at Wetherby on Easter Monday, going down by a head to Gerry Scott on the Neville Crump-trained favourite Roger Petit.
Beverley rode Mixed French just once the following season, falling four out in the valuable Emblem Chase at Wetherby in November. Alan Mactaggart partnered the horse next time out to win an amateur riders’ chase at Doncaster.
Beverley rode Mixed French on his first start of the next season, finishing down the field in 20-runner novice riders’ hurdle at Newcastle in February 1968, having led briefly early on. However, it was Gordon Holmes who came in for the ride on Mixed French in that year’s Grand National, the partnership coming to grief at Valentine’s first time round.
Holmes kept the ride on Mixed French throughout the 1968/69 season, winning on him once at Market Rasen. As for Beverley Smythe, he failed to ride another winner and retired from race riding the following year.