Richard Bevan National Hunt Race Rides 1988/89 | Season Record & Statistics

The 1988/89 National Hunt season represented a substantial campaign for conditional jockey Richard Bevan, who recorded 96 rides across a wide range of hurdle and chase contests. His mounts competed principally at Midlands and Welsh racecourses including Bangor-on-Dee, Worcester, Southwell, Uttoxeter and Stratford.

Operating largely on horses from smaller stables, Bevan’s season was characterised by frequent participation in novice events, selling hurdles and handicap chases. The quality of opportunities varied considerably, reflected in a high average starting price of 25.25/1.

The season yielded three winners and a series of placed efforts. While overall success was limited numerically, the campaign provided extensive race-riding experience across both hurdles and fences.

Richard Bevan took 96 rides during the 1988/89 National Hunt season. Owners earned prize money of £16,568 from those rides.

He completed 75 races, producing a completion rate of 78.125%. Thirty-one rides finished in the first four places, representing 32.3% of all rides.

The season included 3 winners (3.1%), 11 second places (11.5%), 7 third places (7.3%) and 10 fourth places (10.4%).

Non-completions consisted of 6 falls (6.25%), 3 unseated riders (3.125%), 11 pulled-up efforts (11.5%) and 1 slipped-up incident (1.0%). There were no brought-down, carried-out or ran-out results recorded.

The season began during August and September 1988 with a sequence of educational rides on horses such as Bloxwich Princess, Sunset Express, Walmer Sands and Annie Ra. Results were generally modest, although Rimfire quickly emerged as a reliable performer with placed efforts at Southwell.

October brought the first significant breakthrough. Crowecopper provided Bevan with a victory in the Willis Wrightson North Handicap Chase at Bangor-on-Dee on 15 October. Five days later Rimfire delivered a second success in the EBF Foston Intermediate Chase at Uttoxeter.

During the winter months results remained mixed, with several placed efforts but relatively few victories. A notable moment arrived on 7 January 1989 when Annie Ra won the Horncastle Novices Chase at Market Rasen.

The closing months of the campaign featured numerous placed performances from horses such as Roy Prince, Stormguard, Ardent Spy, Spartan Native and Plover. Although no further victories were added, the season concluded with regular competitive finishes through May and early June.

Rimfire was one of the season’s most productive partnerships. The horse finished second twice before securing victory in the EBF Foston Intermediate Chase at Uttoxeter. Several additional placed efforts reinforced the consistency of the combination.

Annie Ra also played a significant role. After a series of educational novice chase runs, the partnership achieved its principal success in the Horncastle Novices Chase at Market Rasen. Annie Ra later remained competitive in handicap company.

Crowecopper supplied Bevan’s earliest winner of the campaign at Bangor-on-Dee. Ardent Spy became another dependable mount, recording multiple placed finishes including seconds and thirds in handicap chases.

Stormguard, Roy Prince, Spartan Native and Aldro contributed several placed performances during the latter part of the season, helping sustain Bevan’s overall first-four strike rate despite a relatively low winning percentage.

The defining highlight of the season was the victory aboard Annie Ra in the Horncastle Novices Chase at Market Rasen on 7 January 1989.

Having previously recorded several unplaced and midfield finishes, Annie Ra’s success demonstrated progression through the novice chase ranks and provided Bevan with his third recorded winner of the campaign.

The win was significant because it arrived during the middle phase of the season and represented the culmination of a developing partnership that had gained experience through multiple earlier starts.

Richard Bevan’s 1988/89 National Hunt season was marked by regular opportunities, extensive racecourse experience and a broad range of mounts. The campaign produced 96 rides and three winners.

While the winning strike rate remained modest, the number of placed efforts demonstrated competitiveness within predominantly novice and handicap company. A first-four percentage exceeding 32% reflected the ability to secure respectable results despite many outsiders.

The victories achieved by Crowecopper, Rimfire and Annie Ra formed the principal achievements of the season. Collectively, the record illustrates the workload and development of a conditional jockey operating within the National Hunt circuit during the late 1980s.