Alfred John Lovell held a National Hunt jockey’s licence between 1970 and 1980 and was associated with Chaddesley Corbett trainer Frank Yardley throughout his career. He rode a total of ten winners.
He had his first ride in public for Yardley on Supremo in a novice riders’ handicap hurdle at Wolverhampton on January 23, 1970. They pulled up. However, they enjoyed far better fortune when teaming up to win the two-runner Okemant Opportunity Selling Handicap Hurdle at Newton Abbot at the start of the following season, after sole rival and odds-on favourite Prince Babu had fallen when leading at the fourth flight.
Alf’s second winner came on Yardley’s novice hurdler The Lurcher at Ludlow on October 8, 1970. They followed up seven days later at Cheltenham, beating Terry Biddlecombe on the odds-on favourite le Conquerant by a neck. The following month, Alf renewed his partnership with Supremo to win a selling hurdle at Folkestone.
Despite that promising beginning, Alf rode only one winner over the course of the next seven years. Frank Yardley’s Diesdon finally ended the drought in a novice riders’ selling hurdle at faraway Hexham in October 1977. He then won a similar contest on Yardley’s King Of Swing at Ludlow seven days later. His other two winners that season came courtesy of Marlborough trainer Rosemary Lomax, on selling hurdlers Fair Fool at Uttoxeter and Leyburn Lady at Chepstow.
His last winner was on selling hurdler Juryman for Rushock, Worcestershire trainer Harry Poole at Taunton on May 4, 1970.
In later years, he rode in Arab races.
Alf Lovell’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Supremo, Newton Abbot, August 14, 197
2. The Lurcher, Ludlow, October 8, 1970
3. The Lurcher, Cheltenham, October 15, 1970
4. Supremo, Folkestone, November 2, 1970
5. Rakell, Devon & Exeter, August 30, 1972
6. Diesdon, Hexham, October 19, 1977
7. King Of Swing, Ludlow, October 24, 1977
8. Fair Fool, Uttoxeter, December 15, 1977
9. Leyburn Lady, Chepstow, March 11, 1978
10. Juryman, Taunton, May 4, 1979