John Atkin

John Atkin

Article by Alan Trout

John Atkin rode seven winners over jumps in a career that lasted for most of the 1930s. The first of those came in the Hants Hurdle at Newbury on November 28, 1930, when riding The Wheedler, trained by former top hurdle jockey George Duller, to a half-length victory over Boomlet, the mount of future Grand National-winning jockey Dudley Williams. Just five days later, the combination romped home in the Timberham Maiden (at closing) Hurdle at Gatwick, scoring by four lengths. 

Despite that promising start, it would be seven years before John won another race. The long wait finally ended at Leicester on February 1, 1938, when Three Fates won the Worksop Selling Chase by half a length from Surtax, ridden by future champion jockey and trainer Fred Rimell. John doubled his score for the season at Southwell on April 16, when Sandman won the Bleasby Selling Handicap Hurdle by a length.

The 1938/39 season was John’s best with three wins, all courtesy of a seven-year-old chestnut mare named Oi, but they were also his last. Oi won the Selling Hurdle at Market Rasen on Easter Monday, the Market Drayton Selling Hurdle at Woore on May 11 – an eventful race in which half the twelve runners failed to finish – then returned to Market Rasen two days later to land the Handicap Hurdle. (Market Rasen’s race titles in those days were very unimaginative.)

Although John rode for one more season, he failed to ride another winner. 

John Atkin’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. The Wheedler, Newbury, November 28, 1930

2. The Wheedler, Gatwick, December 3, 1930

3. Three Fates, Leicester, February 1, 1938

4. Sandman, Southwell, April 16, 1938

5. Oi, Market Rasen, April 10, 1939

6. Oi, Woore Hunt, May 11, 1939

7. Oi, Market Rasen, May 13, 1939