'One of racing's greatest characters' - former clerk Hugo Bevan dies aged 86

Hugo Bevan, described by Nicky Henderson and Kim Bailey as “one of racing’s greatest characters”, died on Thursday at the age of 86.

The hugely popular Bevan was a clerk of the course for more than four decades – taking on never fewer than four tracks at any one time – and during lockdown wrote an entertaining autobiography about his time in the sport titled Memoir of a Racing Life.

Towcester, Windsor, Worcester and Huntingdon were among the many tracks Bevan oversaw, and after finishing his clerking duties in 2003 he became an acclaimed artist and played a key role in the visitor scheme for beneficiaries of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

Bevan’s colourful life included a stint as public relations officer for Playboy Bookmakers in the 1970s, with Bevan regularly pictured on course draped in bunny girls who were based in the London clubs owned by Victor Lownes. The firm's stay in the sport was brief.

Bevan endured several dangerous adventures, including when trying farming, and once spent several months in Stoke Mandeville Hospital having broken his back when toppling 30ft into a grain silo when a wooden walkway collapsed.

Henderson said: “Hugo was a great friend and one of the greatest characters you could find on an English racecourse. He was a wonderful clerk of the course but also the most spectacular man, it was always fun and he made it that way.

“Any day racing on any of his racecourses was always a joy because he looked after everybody and did it with such enthusiasm. He loved every minute of it I think – although there was the odd day when a trainer got a little irksome – but by and large it was great.

“I think he was looking after five courses at one stage which is unbelievable and knew what he was doing at all of them. It was amazing. He was most entertaining and hospitable and was just a very special man. We have many happy memories of him.”

Bailey, for whom Towcester was a local track for many years, had known Bevan since his childhood and described him as “a very special man”.

He said: “Hugo was a family friend and one of racing’s greatest characters – he was one of the most amusing people in the sport. He had a life that very few people could possibly live up to and certainly nowadays no-one could repeat.

“He was hugely popular, unique in every sense of the word and a very special man. He was one hundred per cent straight as a clerk of the course and a great man to deal with.”

Hugo Bevan: wrote an entertaining autobiography about his time in the sport titled Memoir of a Racing Life during lockdownCredit: Edward Whitaker

Bevan made a big impression on Sandown and Epsom official Andrew Cooper, who spent some of his training days with the renowned clerk.

Cooper said: “Hugo was the most charming man and did the job with a twinkle in his eye. The thought of somebody covering four racecourses now would be unthinkable.

“You’re supposed to have a minimum of ten yards between running rails but if you’re a bit tight for room and you’ve got say eight yards, I still call that a Hugo ten. He was a great character who lived a rich life – a legend of the clerking game.”

Bevan’s son Rupert said on behalf of the family: “My father loved racing and had a great involvement in the sport over many years. He made us all laugh, had a great sense of humour and will be much missed.”

Bevan is survived by his wife Carol, son Rupert and daughters Charlotte, Georgina and Sophie.