Frederick Bonner
Article by Alan Trout
Frederick Charles Bonner was apprenticed to Alfred Stevens who trained at Compton, near Newbury. He rode three winners as an apprentice between 1907 and 1910.
He had first ride at Warwick on April 8, 1907 when finishing unplaced on Merry Imp, trained by Alfred Stevens, in the Apprentices Maiden Plate. It was a special day for the winning jockey, Freddie Fox, who rode Purdysburn to a four-length victory, as it was his first win in a career that would include six Classic victories and becoming champion jockey in 1930.
It was at Haydock Park on June 14, 1907 that Frederick had his first winner when Elfin Revel took the Makerfield Handicap by two lengths.
Although there were no more wins that season, 1908 started brightly when Wild Despair beat Oreb by a neck in the Trial Handicap at Kempton Park on May 16. Oreb was ridden by George Duller, later to become one of the greatest hurdles jockeys of all time. The runner-up was giving the winner 16lb, including George’s 2lb overweight.
Again, there were plenty of rides for Frederick in 1908 but no more winners. His final success came at Wolverhampton on October 11, 1909 when riding Lord Decies’s three-year-old colt Origo to a two-length victory in the Autumn Handicap, carrying just 6st 2lb.
He rode in the first race of the 1910 season, finishing unplaced on Howth Park in the Trial Selling Plate won by Ernest Sadgrove on Florestan. However, that appears to have been Frederick Bonner’s final ride.
His apprenticeship at an end, he was granted a professional jockey’s licence in 1913 but does seem to have had any rides.
