Unplaced: Jonjo O’Neill Jr on 100/1 winner of the Shock Cheltenham Festival and Grand National Aspirations in Aintree | Racing news
Jonjo O’Neill Jr was on Friday, the winner of the Triumph progress 100/1 on Friday and joined Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan in Episode 20, unrestrained to talk about their festival hero and giving insight into their great national aspirations.
O’Neill JR returned to the winner’s housing at Cheltenham Festival, first after in 2019 he landed on Martin Pipe at the early door, with an impressive screen on Ultrapriogressive Jagwar for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero on Truisttrader on Thursday.
O’Neill JR became regularly in the green and gold silk of JP McManus on major occasions, regularly partnership of Like Champ, according to the latest stages of his career and developed a partnership with Grand Nada Hopeful Iroko in recent times.
In an interview with Matt and Paddy, O’Neill Jr talked about the rapid improvement of Jagwar and that he was not sure if the son would be characterized by a steep climb, as well as his point of view on the market.
“Ever since he won Wetherby the first day, I was really not sure what extent he would progress, but he has every running. [First at] Bangor-on-dee, then he ran well when he made a mistake in Uttoxeter and was obviously good at Cheltenham, but I still felt he needed to improve the stone to win Thursday, and fortunately he did. “
Brennan wanted to praise O’Neill Jr, saying that the education he gave a horse had helped to learn enough to cope with the nature of the race at Cheltenham Festival.
He said, “If you want to watch where the race is, for me, to be won at Wetherby and Bangor. What he learned in those days, he made him [ready] for Cheltenham. “
O’Neill Jr replied: “He was a slow rim, he was not a good jumper of the obstacle, I would not say that he was natural for the fence either, but he was very amazed at the obstacles, and he was only a little careful.
“Josh and Ollie did a really good job because I can’t imagine that he was a direct ride at home for Ben Smith, who drives him every day. He was like a great raw teenager and fortunately he is mentally full of every running, but I’m surprised how much he has progressed.”
Jagwar sent 3/1 favorites for the competition, and for everything he was not the most liquid in the last one, he did not prevent a couple of winners ready with almost three lengths back to Gavin Cromwell, who trained on the line.
With just five rides at this year’s festival, you wouldn’t find much jocker with a much better foot hit than O’Neill Jr, as he doubled his week on the week at the ponytail – the winner of the Shock 100/1 triUmph Programs on Gold Cup Day.
Because everything goes a little better than expected, Chapman asked what was going through his head during the competition.
O’Neill Jr said, “We captured each other and I thought,” I hope this thing will be able to act, “and he jumped the first literally like an old handicapper, and I said,” Oh, we will be fine. “
“He was a little beginner during the next few, but very safe.
“I didn’t pay attention to those in front, I could see all the leading fantasies forward and just when we started lowering down the hill, I watched a few others for Willie and they squeezed themselves, trying to keep their position and still run.
“I thought, if we jump to the second last, it will probably be accelerated by us, but I was delighted to take the really nice race for the first time.
“They just didn’t accelerate from us as much as I thought he would, and I just felt like I was rolling. I thought going to the last fall, and I think his flat experience made a big difference. When he finished last, he knew the races I think is a full computer.”
Chapman alluded to the fact that every ride for Willie Mullins must be a privilege, but that the call for driving in the triumph would feel much more special for the driver.
“I had a great fortune with the way he was functioning, obviously Willie had 11 in the race, and he would use all his Irish jockers, and then there were two spare parts for [Harry] Cobden and I.
“In the past, I rode for Willie several times, but nothing in a race like a triumph and it’s just an offer you can’t refuse.”
Ponyros became a joint winner of the Cheltenham Festival, which is aligned with the success of the Golden Cup in Norton’s money in 1990 and Hipparchus’ victory in the Grand annual year 1954.
Since the Cheltenham Festival in 2025 became a remote memory, attention is now turning to Aintreeu where O’Neill Jr is placed on a partner Iroko in Grand National for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.
“He made good progress with every running. I thought his race in Kelsou was really good because the soil was a little lively for him, and Gray Dawning, on his day, the appropriate horse class, as a preparation for national, we are very happy and he has a nice weight.
“It’s a really competitive renovation; I know the couple came out, but it’s still a very strong race. Having said that, I still wouldn’t want to replace it.”
