LEGENDARY HORSE RACING FAMILY SUPPORT RACING CHARITY

Four days of horse racing action at Cheltenham Festival started this week as the best horses, jockeys and trainers meet at one of the most popular events in the racing calendar. One of the key dates for Cheltenham Festival is St Patrick’s Day, when the Irish descend on the Cotswolds to celebrate their patron saint.

Celebrations began a week early when Wild Thyme & Honey hotel, The Crown at Ampney Brook, put on a Racing Preview Night ahead of the celebrated Festival with Irish racing legends, the O’Neill family: Jonjo senior, champion jockey and trainer; wife Jacqui; Jonjo junior, jockey and AJ O’Neill, assistant trainer.

At the event that included a raffle and auction, guests were able to eat like a horse with a two-course dinner and were champing at the bit waiting to hear the Jonjos reminisce about their illustrious careers all in aid of the charity, Racing Welfare. 

There was an amusing look back at the early career of Jonjo snr, who continues to enjoy one of the most successful careers in horseracing. Guests heard straight from the horse’s mouth about his childhood in Ireland, having his first win in a Donkey Derby and ultimately becoming a champion jockey and a trainer at the highest level. 

Jonjo junior is a National Hunt jockey and talked openly about growing up with his racing legend father and riding alongside A P McCoy as a youngster and graduating to be a top jockey in his own right. 

He hadn’t always wanted to be a jockey as he was also a very good rugby player playing in the first team for his school, Cheltenham College. However, as his slim build and height were more typical of a jockey than a rugby player, the horses won!

Members of the audience were winners too with prize-winning raffle tickets and successful bids in the auction for lots including a mint condition copy of the Towcester race card from November 7, 2013, when A P McCoy rode his 4000th winner on Mountain Tunes. Another winning bid also secured pre-match hospitality for two guests at the Manchester United v Burnley Premier League Fixture at Old Trafford at the end of April, premier seats to watch the match and post-match hospitality. The third lot up for grabs was dinner, bed and breakfast for two people at the Wild Thyme & Honey hotel at Ampney Crucis.

To find out more about The Crown at Ampney Brook or what offers are available in March and for Easter, contact 01285 851806 or visit https://www.crownampneybrook.co.uk/.