Jonjo O’Neill Junior is thrilled to be back on Champ

Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.
Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.
Jockey Jonjo O’Neill Junior has spoken of his pride at keeping the high-profile ride on Champ following a landmark Grade One win last month.

O’Neill only partnered the JP McManus-owned and Nicky Henderson-trained Champ in Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle due to the unavailability of more established riders.

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Jonjo O’Neill junior on Grade One glory, riding, family, loyalty and injury afte...

But he rewarded the faith of connections to land the first Grade One triumph of his career and is now looking forward to partnering Champ in the Welsh Marches Stallions at Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.
Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.

Champ – named after the record-breaking rider Sir AP McCoy – will be running at Cheltenham this Saturday for the first time since pulling up in last season’s Gold Cup.

The horse holds entries in both the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup at the National Hunt Festival in March.

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And the 23-year-old is confident the pair can emerge triumphant again and provide the in-form Henderson with his first success in the three-mile contest.

“I’m glad to be back on Champ. He gave me a great thrill at Ascot and he is probably the one to beat on Saturday,” he ventured.

Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.
Jonjo O'Neill Junior after last month's success of Champ in Ascot's Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.

“It was only supposed to be a confidence-boosting run as he had a troubled preparation last season.

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“He was a little bit gassy at Ascot but he was entitled to be as he had not had a proper run for a while. The horse that came second, Thyme Hill, is probably the one you wanted near you as it makes the form solid.

“He was very effective at Ascot but he likes three miles around Cheltenham, albeit that was over fences, but his course form will help.

“He is going to have to be 100 per cent as there are some good horses in there but that last run will have really sharpened him up.”

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Jonjo O'Neill Junior and Champ clear the final flight in last month's Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.Jonjo O'Neill Junior and Champ clear the final flight in last month's Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
Jonjo O'Neill Junior and Champ clear the final flight in last month's Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

It surprised O’Neill – son of legendary former champion jockey Jonjo O’Neill – that the Long Walk was Champ’s first success since finishing with a flourish under the now retired Barry Geraghty to win a Grade One novice chase at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival on the eve of the Covid lockdown.

That win saw Champ overhaul Minella Indo, the 2021 Gold Cup winner, and Allaho who was an imperious victor of last season’s Ryanair Chase.

The jockey continued: “I don’t think he is a massively good work horse at home so I don’t think he is easy to predict that way. It sounded like he had done plenty of work but that he was entitled to come on for it.

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“When you look at it he only had one proper run going into it since winning what was the RSA. I think the feeling was that if he ran a good race and hit the line well they would be happy but he did a bit more than that.

“It showed what a good engine he has and he jumped very well on the whole around Ascot.”

Riding a first Grade One winner is always a special moment, but O’Neill admits his victory aboard Champ was made more special by the connections

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“A big thank you goes out to Mr McManus and his family for letting me ride him. Winning the Grade One for him made it all the more special as he has been a very good family friend since long before I was born,” added O’Neill with the graciousness that is a defining feature of his family.

“I used to look up to AP riding when I was younger and to ride a Grade One on the horse named after him made it special as well. It would be nice if we could now win another race like this together.”

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