Talking Trainers - Part V

JONJO O'NEILL - Jackdaws Castle, Temple Guiting, Gloucestershire

Horses covered: 45

It was another solid season for Jackdaws Castle with 71 winners and total prize-money of £824,017. The equine talent included progressive novices Collectors Item, Monbeg Genius and Springwell Bay amongst others and the squad has been swelled considerably during the spring/summer with an array of fresh talent, especially from the Irish pointing scene. Particular attention should be made to the O'Neill runners at Carlisle (95 winners from 553 runners (17%)), Fakenham (20 from 110 (18%)), Huntingdon (105 from 571 (18%)), Kelso (26 from 148 (18%)), Ludlow (68 from 380 (18%)), Sedgefield (41 from 216 (19%)), Stratford (99 from 570 (17%)) and Wetherby (97 from 485 (20%)).

On page 111 of One Jump Ahead, Jonjo commented regarding one of last season's bumper horses: "He is a lovely horse and very much one to look forward to in novice hurdles this season. A horse with a bit of class, he will start off over two miles on soft ground but will stay further."

NICKY RICHARDS - Rectory Farm, Greystoke, Cumbria

Horses covered: 29

Nicky Richards won the Grade 2 championship bumper at Aintree in the spring with the unbeaten Florida Dreams, who is very much a horse to look forward to over timber this winter. Indeed, the stable sent out 5 bumper winners from only 17 runners (29%) during the 2022/2023 season. Rectory Farm is responsible for a decent team of staying chasers and therefore don't be surprised to see more valuable prizes heading to Cumbria this term. The stable have a noteworthy strike-rate at Ayr (139 winners from 712 runners (20%)), Carlisle (96 from 430 (22%)), Hexham (68 from 283 (24%)), Kelso (115 from 585 (20%)), Sedgefield (47 from 215 (22%)) and Wetherby (33 from 168 (20%)). Nicky generally unleashes his better bumper horses at either Ayr (24 winners from 92 runners (26%), Kelso (10 from 44 (23%)) or Newcastle (14 from 43 (33%).

The head of Greystoke remarks on page 117 re an unraced four year old: "A lovely unraced horse who was in pre training in Ireland. Bought at the Goffs Landrover sale last year, he is a very nice horse who has schooled well at home and will start off in a bumper."

Wodhooh (11/10) was a winner for the Significant Sales section in One Jump Ahead on Tuesday. Gordon Elliott's filly had been awarded the race on her jumping bow at Listowel last month but she didn't need any assistance on this occasion following up by 24 lengths at Punchestown. The daughter of Le Havre was bought for 50,000gns at the Newmarket July Sales having only raced four times on the Flat for Sir Michael Stoute. Jack Kennedy's mount took charge before the final flight before pulling clear to maintain her unbeaten record over obstacles. Gordon Elliott suggested afterwards that she will be even better on slower ground and could head to Newbury for the £45,000 Berkshire Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle (1st December).