As a jockey, John Joseph ‘Jonjo’ O’Neill Snr. will always be best remembered for his association with the highest-rated jumping mare in the history of Timeform, Dawn Run, on whom he completed an unprecedented double in the Champion Hurdle, in 1984, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in 1986. Of course, O’Neill was by no means a one-trick pony and, in fact, is generally considered one of the greatest National Hunt jockeys in history.
Born in Castletownroche, Co. Cork on April 13, 1952, O’Neill rode his first winner, Lada, on the Flat at the Curragh in 1970, but it was over obstacles in Britain that he would make his name. He won the National Hunt Jockeys’ Championship twice, in 1977/78 and 1979/80, on the first occasion with a record 149 winners. His achievment was all the more remarkable for the fact that he was based with the late Gordon W. Richards, at Castle Stables, in Greystoke, Cumbria in the North of England.
By the time of his retirement, later in 1986, O’Neill had ridden a total of 901 winners. Aside from Dawn Run, his career highlights also included winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Alverton in 1979 and the Champion Hurdle on Sea Pigeon in 1980.
