Ron Atkins

Ronald Anthony Leonard Atkins - with a name like that it was only natural to rebel, and that's exactly what Ron did.

With his King's Road (Chelsea) clothes and matching cavalier attitude, he was one of the first to test the stuffiness of a sport that was still very much breathing yesterday's air.

With the white, in-your-face, initials RA painted onto his skull cap, the long-haired jockey was not to be easily  mistaken nor forgotten.

He was born in Stonebridge Park, Willesden, on April 26, 1943, and therefore a typical teenager when Elvis began his reign. His father owned a cobbler's shop just opposite Wembley Stadium. Although he helped out at the shop on occasions, Ron had already decided that he wanted to become a boxer. He was a member of a boxing club in Hendon.

Yet it was racing that he finally turned to.

His 5-year apprenticeship years were spent with Les Hall, whom his father had contacted on Ron's behalf and who was looking for an apprentice.

His first ride in public came on 33/1 outsider Princess Pretty. In a 36-runner field, Ron finished up on his back as he clipped the heels of another runner and fell. He woke up in Newbury Hospital. He never rode a winner as an apprentice.

Ron's first win had come on Tudor Meteor at Plumpton on 15 February 1964, but he was to ride only one more that season. Then things went from bad to worse - the following season he failed to ride a single winner, and just five the season after that.

Then his luck turned, and he began to boot home a regular stream of winners: his best ever season was 1967-68 with 39.

He rode in the Grand National of 1977: the legendary Red Rum beat off Churchtown Boy - Ron finished up on the deck when parting company with Fred Winter's Pengrail.

He won the 1970 Ackerman Skeaping Hurdle on Moyne Royal, the Marlow Ropes John Skeaping Hurdle in 1975 on William Pitt and the K.P Hurdle in 1969 on Rabble Rouser.

Ron then combined riding with training: from a yard in Copperfield, Stacey's Farm, Elstead, Surrey, he sent out a few winners (including Rushmore) but, citing financial difficulties, he quit after six years in 1989.

He opened a restaurant - 'Chasers' - in Stokeinteignhead, just outside Newton Abbot, but continued to ride, not finally quitting the saddle until he was 44. His final win was on Dear Bob, trained by Martin Pipe, in the Little Birch Selling Hurdle (Division 1) at Hereford on April 4, 1987. His last two rides were both for Neil Kernick at an evening meeting at Taunton on May 15, 1987. Having been unseated by Mini Maid at the second flight, he then came home last of nine finishers on My Moyale in the Bathpool Novices' Selling Hurdle. 

In June 1985, he started a new company, R.A.M.A. Racing Consultants Ltd.

He sold 'Chasers' and enjoyed a 21-year stint as vice president of the Jockeys' Association. During this time, he instigated the Jockeys' Pension Fund Scheme.

Ron Atkins

Big winners:

1969: “K.P.” Hurdle – Rabble Rouser 

1970: Ackermann-Skeaping Trophy – Moyne Royal

1975: Marlow Ropes John Skeaping Hurdle – William Pitt