AJ O’Neill praised the efforts of the team behind the scenes at Jackdaws Castle Stables after the yard broke through the £1 million pound barrier in prizemoney for the season at Aintree on Thursday.
Reaching the milestone looked unlikely this campaign after O’Neill, who trains in partnership with his dad, and former jockey Jonjo, closed the yard down for much of November after a number of low key performances.
However, the green shoots of recovery started back in December after the father-and-son team saddled nine winners, before sending out seven winners in each of January, February and March to continue their transformation in fortunes.
Last month’s haul was highlighted by the Cheltenham Festival victories of Johnnywho in the Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase, and Wilful in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle, who supplied the pair with their first winners at the meeting since joining forces.
And while they were out of luck on the opening day of the Randox Grand National meeting at the Merseyside venue, the second place secured by Highlands Legacy in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase tipped the training duo past the milestone figure.
AJ O’Neill said: “Breaking the one million pound barrier was something we didn’t think would happen early on in the season when we had a bit of a slow patch. We thought it would be a hard task to achieve, but the team at home have done an unbelievable job of getting the horses back to full fitness and keeping them at the top level.
“We had a fantastic Cheltenham Festival with two winners, but the team at home have worked wonders to get us over the one million pound mark. I’m really proud of the team for that achievement.
“November last season was our best month last season. To get horses back in the middle of the season is very difficult and to keep them there it really is a good indication of the good work the team have done all season to help turn the season around."
Although the O’Neills require over £200,000 to surpass their final domestic total of £1,231,061 gained last season, which was their first as a training partnership, it is a figure that could be surpassed if Johnnywho lands the Randox Grand National on Saturday.
O’Neill added: “We need a little bit more luck to beat last season’s total, but we have a few nice horses to run this weekend, and thereafter. The Grand National is an unbelievable race and to have one good enough to go into it off the back of a Cheltenham Festival win is very special.
“It is not going to be easy, but he has experience over the fences, which is a plus, and we are excited about it. Hopefully, beyond Aintree, there is still a lot more fun to be had in the closing weeks of the season."
Randox Grand National features and previews
- Randox Grand National racecard, odds and video form (16:00 Aintree)
- Horse-by-horse guide to the final field
- Punting Pointers: Our Grand National shortlist
- Weekend View: Johnny the one for Aintree
- How to pick the Grand National winner and how different is the race now?
- The best Grand National performances on Timeform ratings
- Grand National fences: How they've shaped the race
- JockeyBox: Willie and Patrick Mullins reflections
- Simon Holt: The art of commentating on the National
- The remarkable story of Spanish Steps
- John Ingles: Remembering Red Marauder's remarkable win in the mud
- Alex Hammond Grand National Blog
- Patrick Mullins: National outsider 'catches the eye'
- Who are the main British hopes?
- 2026 Grand National preview podcast
- Dan Skelton: My Aintree squad
