Alan Maurice Bond was born in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, on 7 November 1953. He became apprenticed to Ted Smyth at Epsom.
He was left at the start on his first-ever ride but quickly made amends when, aged 19, winning his first race, on Swagman in the Waterhall Apprentice Handicap at Brighton on 24 August 1972.
He was champion apprentice in 1974 with 40 wins, including his first big race success on Rhein Beau for Lewes trainer Mick Masson in the Goodwood Stakes. Rhein Beau was one of the most improved horses in training. The horse had run 15 times before, without winning a race of any description, then won four within the space of a month. Alan, claiming 5lbs, won by ten lengths leaving breeding pundits scratching their heads. Reine Beau was by the miler Queen’s Hussar, yet he stayed two miles and three furlongs easily.
Alan was crowned champion apprentice for a second time in 1975 with 66 wins. Among his successes that year was Fool’s Mate, trained by Henry Cecil, in the Old Newton Cup.
Cecil appointed him as his stable jockey for 1976 and Alan achieved his two most important successes for him on Great Idea in the Dee Stakes and Catalpa in that year’s Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. However, the appointment lasted only a few months and he was replaced by Joe Mercer, who had recently been sacked by Lord Weinstock from his post with Dick Hern at West Ilsley.
From thereon, Alan rode mostly abroad, including in Germany.
Biggest wins
1974: Goodwood Stakes – Rhein Beau
1975: Old Newton Cup – Fool’s Mate
1976: Dee Stakes – Great Idea
1976: Ribblesdale Stakes – Catalpa
