Jonjo O’Neill has carved his name in National Hunt folklore, both as jockey and trainer, and his enthusiasm for his chosen career remains undiminished after more years than most care to remember.
Down at his state-of-art stables at Jackdaws Castle in Temple Guiting, Gloucester, O’Neill has already fired in 53 winners and amassed £552,742 on the domestic front, and could well reach a landmark 2,500 career successes before the end of the season.
Mellificent heads to Market Rasen this afternoon for a stellar running of the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Bumper, after doing all that was asked of her at Uttoxeter in October, and Petit Tonnerre may bid to erase a luckless effort in the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton, when badly hampered at the second, as he prepares to drop back to two miles for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.
Soaring Glory was a revelation when comfortably taking the Betfair Hurdle in 2021 and the team are hoping he can raise his game when the spring ground arrives.
There are some interesting recruits from the point-to-point field, with Brook Bay, Hey Day Baby, Johnnywho, Only By Night and Yes Day waiting in the wings, and a few up-and-coming hurdlers in the yard that are already establishing their credentials.
Jonjo kindly talked to Tony Elves about several of his top prospects at Jackdaws Castle.
