Hello to you all again, is it too late to say Happy New Year?
We have finally dried and thawed out here at Jackdaws Castle after, what seems like, a month of rain followed by a stint of below zero temperatures. A huge thank you to our team who were fantastic throughout.
It’s a balmy 7 degrees as I write this, so hopefully we can get going properly again!
It has felt very stop-start on the track, but I am delighted with the horses’ form and we’ve had some great winners.
In December, Inch House and Are U Wise To That won nicely at Newbury and Cheltenham respectively for Michael and Jania Geoghegan. It was also lovely to see Bob Lester’s (Iris’s Gift) colours back in the winner’s enclosure after Ted’s Gift won at Ludlow.
January’s highlights include a brilliant hat-trick at Catterick with Richie riding all three, including Track And Trace winning the North Yorkshire Grand National. We are delighted that these victories will hopefully help Richie to beat his previous best seasonal tally of 35 winners (he’s currently on 28) as he is a huge asset to us at Jackdaws Castle.
Bill Joyce impressed us a couple of days later when winning a bumper at Warwick in good fashion, for Danny Walker and his family.
You can read about all of our winners below.
Off the track, we are busy pinpointing the horses that have caught our eye in at the upcoming sale at Cheltenham this weekend. The sale will take place after the last race on Festival Trials Day tomorrow the 27th.
As always, if you’re interested in joining us at the sale, please email joe.oneill@jonjooneillracing.com.
Fingers crossed this mild weather is here to stay for a bit!
Stay healthy and best wishes,
Jonjo
AJ produced an outstanding ride aboard Beachcomber at Huntington to bring up our 50th winner of the season.
Always prominent, they took command of the race and had a clear lead before 3 out, jumping nicely and staying on well to win comfortably.
We are absolutely thrilled for owner Lizzie Wills.
Mt Fugi Park and Jonjo Jr. timed it perfectly to get up to win at Leicester.
Held up in rear, they made good headway going second before 2 out. Attacking the last hurdle they led in the final 110yds and just did enough for victory.
We are thrilled for all of our Tanzanite partnership owners!
Bill Joyce looked impressive when winning the bumper at Warwick in the hands of Jonjo Jr.
Pressing the leaders, they led after 3 furlongs and kept on well throughout to win by just over 4 lengths.
We are so happy for Danny, Heather, Mike, Linda and family. Huge congratulaions!
We enjoyed a wonderful day with three winners from three runners at Catterick, all brilliantly ridden by Richie McLernon.
Time For A Pint kicked things off when staying on well to win the Novices’ Handicap Chase by 3½ lengths for owners Craig And Dave Wordsworth.
This was followed up in the very next race when Hasthing won comfortably in the colours of JP McManus.
The hat-trick was completed when Track And Trace kept on well to win the North Yorkshire Grand National. We are thrilled for Andrew, Lisa, Pat, Charles C, Logie, Duncan, Charles F, Benjamin, Charlie and Ken of Bruton Street!
Holly put in a smooth jumping display to win very nicely in the hands of Richie McLernon at Market Rasen.
Held up in rear, they made smooth headway to lead two out, before going clear up the run-in to win by 7½ lengths.
Congratulations to owner JP McManus.
Saint Davy and Jonjo Jr. travelled strongly throughout on their way to victory at Ludlow.
Held up in last, they then made good progress and went second when pushed along before three out. He made a slight error at the last when challenging the leader but stayed on well to lead on the run in.
We are delighted for owner Mrs Gay Smith.
Royal Rhythm gave us a late Christmas gift winning by 4½ lengths at Wetherby in the hands of Jack Hogan.
Jack stood in for Kevin Brogan who took a heavy fall earlier in the day but thankfully made a rapid recovery and quick return to racing weeks later.
We are thrilled for owner Martin Peyton.
Fortunate Man jumped strongly to win impressively at Newbury in the hands of Jonjo Jr.
Held up in midfield, they moved up 3-out and led narrowly approaching the last. They kept on well and went clear on the run-in, winning by 9½ lengths.
Congratulations to owner JP McManus.
Wilful got off the mark at the second time of asking, winning the bumper nicely in the hands of Jonjo Jr.
The pair made all the running and pushed along just over three furlongs out and won going away
Many congratulations to owner Fitri Hay.
Walk Of No Shame cruised to a 5-length victory at Southwell under a confident ride by Richie McLernon.
Racing in second for the majority of the race, they increased the tempo and led two out. Three lengths ahead at the last, they ran on well to score an impressive victory.
We’re delighted for owners Paul Taiano and Michael Nixon.
Are U Wise To That stayed on well up the Cheltenham hill to win at ‘The Home of Jump Racing’ under a superb Jonjo Jr. ride.
They travelled strongly throughout and were always in touch with the leaders. Prominent after the 16th obstacle, they pressed for the front and took the lead up the run-in to win in good fashion.
We are all delighted for Michael and Jania Geoghegan, huge congratulations!
After a third and second on his first two runs, it was brilliant to see Ted’s Gift get his head in front in the bumper at Ludlow under the guidance of AJ O’Neill.
Always prominent, he pushed along three furlongs out and was soon ridden into the lead, before getting into a duel in the final 110 yards but was always doing enough for the win.
We are absolutely thrilled for owner Bob Lester and it is great to see the “Iris’s Gift” colours back in the winner’s enclosure.
After fears that racing wouldn’t go ahead due to the cold early December weather, we were thrilled to complete an across the card double at Newbury and Bangor.
Inch House and Jonjo Jr combined to win the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase in impressive style. It’s wonderful to win a race named in memory of an incredible man.
Many congratulations to owners Michael and Jania.
This was followed up an hour later over at Bangor on Dee where Clondaw Royale and James Smith pulled away to win a maiden hurdle by five lengths.
We are thrilled for Eoghan, Ryder, Nick, Dan and Carl of The Iveragh Syndicate.
As Jonjo mentioned above, the Tattersalls January Sale tales place on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on Saturday 27th January.
The sale will offer a select group of winning and placed point to pointers and NH form horses after racing in the sale ring on Cheltenham racecourse.
If you are interested in purchasing or joining us at the sale, please email joe.oneill@jonjooneillracing.com.
Many congratulations to Jack Wilmot who has been awarded our Employee of the Month for January.
As well as notching up his first point-to-point win last weekend at Cocklebarrow (which you can read about below), Jack has recently also become part of our travelling team, taking horses to and from the races.
It was brilliant to see The Composeur and Jack Wilmot winning at the Cocklebarrow Point-to-Point last weekend in Jacqui’s colours.
We are so grateful to Jean Notman for giving The Composeur to the yard after his retirement from racing so the younger lads and lasses can gain invaluable experience in point-to-point races.
Well done, Jack!
Happy birthday to…
Jonjo O’Neill Jr.
26th January
Aaron Sutherland
28th January
Susie Bradshaw
February 5th
James Smith
February 16th
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