John Joseph "Jonjo" O'Neill (born 13 April 1952) is an Irish

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

trainer and former

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

. He is a native of Castletownroche,

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. Based at the Jackdaws Castle training establishment in England. O'Neill twice won the British Champion Jockey title (1977-78 & 1979-80) and won the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs (3 ...

on the mare,

Dawn Run Dawn Run (1978–1986) was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse (Deep Run - Twilight Slave) who was the most successful racemare in the history of National Hunt racing. She won the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 1984 and the Cheltenha ...

who became the only horse to complete the double of winning the

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a d ...

and the Gold Cup at the

Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Ra ...

. He won 900 races as a jockey. At the 2009

, Wichita Lineman, an O'Neill trained horse, won the William Hill Trophy."Cheltenham Festival: Punjabi So Brave For Henderson"
dailyrecord.co.uk, 11 March 2009, accessed 11 March 2009. On 10 April 2010, Jonjo O'Neill trained Don't Push It to win the

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap st ...

. In seven attempts as a jockey he had never completed the course but Don't Push It, ridden by the champion jockey

Tony McCoy Sir Anthony Peter McCoy (born 4 May 1974), commonly known as AP McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish former National Hunt horse racing jockey. Based in Ireland and the UK, McCoy rode a record 4,358 winners, and was Champion Jockey a reco ...

(whose best finishes in fourteen previous attempts had been third places) overtook Black Apalachi at the last fence and pulled clear on the run-in to win by five lengths. In March 2012 he trained Synchronised to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. His son, also named Jonjo, is a National Hunt jockey.

Major wins as jockey

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs (3 ...

- (2) Alverton (1979),

(1986) *

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a d ...

- (2) - Sea Pigeon (1980),

(1984) *

Christmas Hurdle The Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres ...

- (2) Ekbalco (1982),

(1983) * Fighting Fifth Hurdle - (1) Out of the Gloom (1985) *

Finale Juvenile Hurdle The Finale Juvenile Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged three years. It is run at Chepstow over a distance of about 2 miles (2 miles and 11 yards, o ...

- (1) Out of The Gloom (1984) *

Scilly Isles Novices' Chase The Scilly Isles Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain, which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of around two mil ...

- (1) Karenomore (1985) *

Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle The Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 ...

- (1) Starfen (1980) *

Top Novices' Hurdle The Top Novices' Hurdle is a Grade One National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and half a ...

-(2) Prousto (1978), Rimondo (1979) *

Mersey Novices' Hurdle The Mersey Novices' Hurdle is a Grade One National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree, Merseyside, over a distance of about 2 ...

- (1) Out of the Gloom (1985) * Maghull Novices' Chase - (1) Night Nurse (1979) *

Liverpool Hurdle The Liverpool Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and ½ furlong ...

- (1) Prominent King (1979) ---- Ireland *

Irish Champion Hurdle The Irish Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and ...

- (2) Royal Vulcan (1983),

(1984)

Major wins as trainer

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap st ...

- (1) Don't Push It (2010) *

- (2) Intersky Falcon (2002,2003) *

- (1) Hunt Hill (1998) *

Challow Novices' Hurdle The Challow Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs (2 ...

- (3) Coolnagorna (2003), Wichita Lineman (2007), Taquin du Seuil (2013) *

Tolworth Novices' Hurdle The Tolworth Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mi ...

- (2) Miros (2002), Lingo (2004) *

- (1) Quazar (2002) * Betway Bowl - (1) Exotic Dancer (2007) *

Aintree Hurdle The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (), ...

- (1) Rhinestone Cowboy (2004) *

Melling Chase The Melling Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Marsh Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintr ...

-(1) Albertas Run (2010) *

Sefton Novices' Hurdle The Sefton Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and half ...

- (1) Black Jack Ketchum (2006) *

Mildmay Novices' Chase The Mildmay Novices' Chase is a Grade One National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Mildmay course at Aintree over a distance of about 3 m ...

- (1) Holywell (2014) *

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs (3 ...

- (1) Synchronised (2012) ---- Ireland *

Punchestown Champion Hurdle The Punchestown Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during ...

(1) Quazar (2003) *

Champion Stayers Hurdle The Champion Stayers Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Ireland which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown Raceco ...

- (2) Rhinestone Cowboy (2004), Refinement (2007) *

Champion INH Flat Race The Champion INH Flat Race is a Grade 1 National Hunt flat race in Ireland for amateur riders which is open to horses aged four to seven years. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and ½ furlong ( ...

- (1) Refinement (2005) *

Savills Chase The Savills Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and ...

- (2) Exotic Dancer (2008), Synchronised (2011) *

Champion Four Year Old Hurdle The Champion Four Year Old Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its run ...

- (2) Quazar (2002), Cherub (2004) *

Irish Grand National The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlongs (5,834 m ...

-(2) Butlers Cabin (2007), Shutthefrontdoor (2014)

Cheltenham Festival winners (26)

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs (3 ...

- (1) Synchronised (2012) *

Stayers' Hurdle The Stayers' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain. It is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles ...

-(2) Iris's Gift (2004), More Of That (2014) *

Ryanair Chase The Ryanair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs (2 ...

- (2) Albertas Run (2010,2011) *

Triumph Hurdle The Triumph Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 f ...

- (1) Spectroscope (2003) * Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle - (2) Black Jack Ketchum (2006), Wichita Lineman (2007) *

Golden Miller Novices' Chase The Golden Miller Novices' Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Turners Novices' Chase, is a Grade One National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the N ...

- (1) Taquin du Seuil (2014) *

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup The National Hunt Challenge Cup is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenh ...

- (6) Front Line (1995), Rith Dubh (2002), Sudden Shock (2003), Native Emperor (2004), Butler's Cabin (2007), Minella Rocco (2016) *

Festival Trophy Handicap Chase The Festival Trophy is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 mil ...

- (3) Wichita Lineman (2009), Alfie Sherrin (2012), Holywell (2014) *

County Handicap Hurdle The County Handicap Hurdle is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distan ...

- (1) Master Tern (2000) *

Pertemps Final The Pertemps Final is a Grade Three National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 ...

- (4) Danny Connors (1991), Inching Closer (2003), Creon (2004), Holywell (2013) *

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup is a National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders; it is open to horses aged five years or older. The chase is run on the New Course at Che ...

- (1) Sunnyhillboy (2012) *

St James's Place Foxhunter Chase The St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase is a National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Chel ...

- (1) Drombeag (2007) *

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt racing, National Hunt steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. ...

- (1) Sky Pirate (2021)

References

External links

Jonjo O'Neill Racing

BBC biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Jonjo 1952 births Living people Irish jockeys Irish racehorse trainers British Champion jumps jockeys