June 2024
May and June are predominantly quieter months. It’s a time when many of the horses are enjoying their holidays out in the field, lots of the team have a much-deserved break and the yard gets a spring clean.
This year we have been keeping ourselves a little busier on the racecourse and (at the time of writing this) have sent out 78 runners and are sitting in 3rd place in the Trainer’s Championship and have surpassed £100,000 in prize money! We have enjoyed 10 winners since we last spoke which you can read about below.
We have just returned from the Goffs Arkle sale in Ireland, where we bought another two unbroken 3-year-olds an Order Of St George & Nirvana Du Berlais who are being broken in and looking for owners alongside the Order Of St George who we bought at Doncaster in May. To see more about these exciting purchases see below in the Horses for Sale section.
Here’s hoping it warms up very soon!
Best wishes,
Jonjo & AJ
Recent Winners
June 8
Sayva impresses at Bangor
Sayva ran out an impressive winner on his second start in the Bumper at Bangor under a brilliant ride by Richie McLernon.
We are absolutely thrilled for owners Lynne and Angus Maclennan & John and Judith Murray!
June 1
Walk Of No Shame wins at Worcester
Walk Of No Shame returned to the winner’s enclosure with a hearty victory at Worcester, under a powerful Jonjo Jr. ride.
Huge congratulations to owners Paul Taiano and Michael Nixon.
Bob Bob Ricard takes to fences at Ffos Las
Bob Bob Ricard got his nose in front for the first time on his debut over fences at Ffos Las, in the hands of Jonjo Jr.
We are thrilled for Paul and Sharon Downing! Bob Bob Ricard is named after their favourite restaurant in London, who shared the win on their socials media!
May 26
Cawthorne Banker wins at Fontwell
Cawthorne Banker and Jonjo Jr. brought up our tenth winner of the new season in fine style at Fontwell.
We are delighted for owner Eric Brook who has given us two of our ten winners!
May 18
Collector’s Item returns to winning ways at Uttoxeter
Collectors Item rekindled his form with a lovely victory at Uttoxeter under a superb ride by Richie McLernon.
Huge congratulations to Ray, Les, Eric, John, Peter, Julia, Gavin, Kathryn and Nathan of Jackdaws Antiques!
May 15
Spitalfield gets off the mark at Ffos Las
Spitalfield got his nose in front for the first time with a stylish victory at Ffos Las in the hands of Jonjo Jr.
We are absolutely delighted for owner Mairead Liston. Mairead has been an owner with me since my time up in Cumbria and we are all absolutely thrilled for her!
Trapista and Jaxonne bring up a double at Ludlow
Trapista completed a hat-trick in style in a thrilling finish under a strong ride by Jonjo Jr in the green and gold silks of JP McManus.
This was followed up shortly after when Jaxonne got of the mark in style at Ludlow, winning by a comfortable 12 lengths!
We are thrilled for owner Eric Brook!
HORSES ON THEIR HOLIDAYS
We have over 50 horses enjoying the summer in the fields here at Jackdaws Castle. They get fed and checked every day and it’s a lovely change to see them out relaxing in the fields in their groups.
It was wonderful to share some beautiful moments with our owners last weekend, taking them out to the fields to see their horses on their holidays.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Many congratulations to Kayanna Pilgrim who has been awarded our Employee of the Month for her wonderful attitude and great work ethic!
While still studying for her GCSEs, Kayanna went to the Riding Dream Academy in Newmarket that was inspired by Khadijah Mellah and gives diverse communities, underprivileged backgrounds and urban equestrian centres a chance to get involved in horse racing.
After finishing school, she returned to Newmarket for a 12-week course at the British Racing School, before arriving here at Jackdaws Castle in November 2023.
Kayanna wins a dinner, bed & breakfast two-night stay at any of the Jupiter Hotel portfolio of Mercure Hotels.
A huge thank you to Chris Ford and Accor for their generous sponsorship of our Employee of the Month which gives the members of our team a wonderful experience.
THE FIRST PRIZE OF THE NEW PARTNERSHIP!
Jonjo and AJ proudly displaying their first winning trainers’ trophy after Wilful’s victory at Hexham on the first day of the new season for Jim and Fitri Hay.
VISITORS FROM THE USA
We enjoyed two days last month welcoming visitors to Jackdaws Castle all the way from America.
The visit was organised by the wonderful travel company Abercrombie & Kent who have added a VIP Stable Tour to their itinerary for overseas travellers.
Each group of guests were chauffeur-driven upsides the horses on the gallops in one of the stunning Audis, kindly donated by Swindon Audi, before enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour of Jackdaws Castle, watching horses jump in the indoor school and swim, and feeding them lots of carrots!
The tour ended in normal O’Neill Racing style with lots of champagne and canapes in the owners suite, and a chance to get their hands on the cups that Jonjo won for riding Dawn Run to victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1986 and for training the winner in 2012 with Synchronised.
Upcoming Birthdays & Work Anniversaries
Happy birthday to…
Chloe Cullen
7th June
Florin Mirea (Fred)
13th June
Alan Berry
25th June
Thomas Perry
28th June
Jack Wilmot
30th June
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