Located at Jackdaws Castle in the heart of the Cotswolds, O’Neill Racing is one of the most successful racehorse training yards in the UK and Ireland. With an exceptional team and incredible facilities, we can turn your dream of owning a racehorse into reality.
Our objective, as always, is to get the best possible results for each and every horse in our care, ensuring every owner has the best experience ever on their visits to Jackdaws Castle and at the races.
On the 4th of May 2024, a new era began at Jackdaws Castle. Jonjo O’Neill, “King of the Castle” and undisputed legend of the game, brought in his son AJ to share the training licence with him. Jonjo has trained with huge success at this incredible spot since 2001, headlined by winning the Grand National with Don’t Push It as well as the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Synchronised and a further 26 Cheltenham Festival winners.
AJ O’Neill has been working at Jackdaws Castle for a number of years, dividing his time between Assistant Trainer duties and riding under rules as an Amateur jockey. In September 2021, AJ graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Business and Management degree. AJ is so committed to his new role as Joint Trainer that he gave up his amateur rider’s licence bowing out with an impressive 33% strike rate!
I enjoyed very much riding as an amateur for the yard but training a winner gives me a different kind of buzz. I love the whole process, all the way through from the sales to the racecourse and the thrill it brings to the team and all of our owners.
Jonjo has already joined an elite band of trainers with over 2,500 winners. AJ will bring new ideas to the team and a new impetus to the training operation. Together, they strive to bring even more success to Jackdaws Castle and deliver the very best results for the owners. Jonjo and AJ are keen to expand their Flat operation in the years ahead, sourcing horses that can compete under both codes, adding value to the ownership experience.
The O’Neill Racing emblem symbolises the O’Neill Family team. The three O’s represent Jonjo and his two sons AJ and Jonjo Junior (a Champion Conditional, Grade 1 and Cheltenham Festival winning jockey). The three O’s are interlinked to form a fourth O representing Jonjo’s wife Jacqui who not only cements the whole family team but also takes enormous pride in ensuring an exquisite owners’ experience whether they are at the races or visiting their horses at Jackdaws Castle. The logo has a Celtic design to reflect Jonjo’s Irish roots having been born in Castletownroche, Co. Cork.
We remain very ambitious here at Jackdaws Castle and I’m very excited to be sharing the licence with AJ. As a family we have always been a great team and I am very proud of that.
We are excited to introduce you to our outstanding team, whose dedication, expertise, and love for the sport set standards at O’Neill Racing to which others can only aspire.
Twice Champion Jockey, Gold Cup Winner, Grand National & Gold Cup Winning Trainer based in the Cotswolds.
The Wasdell Group is about to embark on the sixth year of its sponsorship of the yard and hard-working team at Jackdaws Castle. We have thoroughly enjoyed the past five years, sharing the highs and lows of the horse-racing life.
This year, of course, we can join in the celebration of the licence now being shared between Jonjo and AJ. Like Wasdell, father and son teams are the way to go!
We are thrilled to extend an exclusive invitation to VIP tours of Jackdaws Castle, the renowned training facility of O’Neill Racing. This is a fantastic opportunity for horse racing enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the world of horse racing and gain behind-the-scenes access to one of Europe’s most prestigious training centres.