January 2024
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
Recent winners
Beachcomber makes it 50 for the season!
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 gets up to win at Leicester
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 shines on debut at Warwick
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!
A hat-trick at Catterick!
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 impresses at Market Rasen
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.
