Brendan O'Neill
Brendan with owner John Corbett
at Leopardstown
Born in 1923, Irish National Hunt jockey Brendan O’Neill had a horse with the unlikely name of Pongo to thank for getting his career started. Pongo had been ridden by such Irish luminaries as Dan Moore, Aubrey Brabazon and Willie O’Grady before Brendan got the chance to sit on his back, O’Grady having steered the horse to victory in a Baldoyle maiden hurdle in February 1944.
Born in 1923, Irish National Hunt jockey Brendan O’Neill had a horse with the unlikely name of Pongo to thank for getting his career started. Pongo had been ridden by such Irish luminaries as Dan Moore, Aubrey Brabazon and Willie O’Grady before Brendan got the chance to sit on his back, O’Grady having steered the horse to victory in a Baldoyle maiden hurdle in February 1944.
It was also at Baldoyle the following month, St Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1944, that Pongo provided Brendan’s first win under Irish National Hunt rules, getting favourite backets off to a good start by winning the opening race, the Dublin Hurdle, worth £148 to the winner. The 9-4 favourite only just scraped home by a neck from Kevin Gilsenan’s mount King Of The Jungle, but Brendan O’Neill was off the mark.
It was also at Baldoyle the following month, St Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1944, that Pongo provided Brendan’s first win under Irish National Hunt rules, getting favourite backets off to a good start by winning the opening race, the Dublin Hurdle, worth £148 to the winner. The 9-4 favourite only just scraped home by a neck from Kevin Gilsenan’s mount King Of The Jungle, but Brendan O’Neill was off the mark.
He won twice more on Pongo that year, landing handicap hurdles at Phoenix Park on May 3 and June 17. Switched to fences the following year, Brendan rode Pongo to win the two-mile Woodstown Handicap Chase at Waterford & Tramore’s four-day summer festival meeting on August 16, 1945. No wonder he nominated Pongo as his favourite horse when crossing the Irish Sea early the next year, basing himself at Herridge, Collingbourne Ducis, in Wiltshire, and riding initially for former multiple champion jockey Gerry Wilson.
He won twice more on Pongo that year, landing handicap hurdles at Phoenix Park on May 3 and June 17. Switched to fences the following year, Brendan rode Pongo to win the two-mile Woodstown Handicap Chase at Waterford & Tramore’s four-day summer festival meeting on August 16, 1945. No wonder he nominated Pongo as his favourite horse when crossing the Irish Sea early the next year, basing himself at Herridge, Collingbourne Ducis, in Wiltshire, and riding initially for former multiple champion jockey Gerry Wilson.
He made his debut in Britain on March 2, 1946 aboard the Wilson-trained Sandringham, finishing second in the division two of the Curfew Novices’ Chase at Windsor. Eleven days later, Wednesday, March 11, he opened his British account on the biggest stage of all, winning the National Hunt Juvenile Chase on Mary Stuart, also trained by Wilson, on the second day of Cheltenham’s National Hunt meeting. That proved the launchpad to a successful run for the remainder of the season, ending it with a score of eight wins, all bar one over fences. They included two handicap chases on Urambo, the first at the annual Beaufort Hunt fixture, the second at Towcester on Easter Monday.
He made his debut in Britain on March 2, 1946 aboard the Wilson-trained Sandringham, finishing second in the division two of the Curfew Novices’ Chase at Windsor. Eleven days later, Wednesday, March 11, he opened his British account on the biggest stage of all, winning the National Hunt Juvenile Chase on Mary Stuart, also trained by Wilson, on the second day of Cheltenham’s National Hunt meeting. That proved the launchpad to a successful run for the remainder of the season, ending it with a score of eight wins, all bar one over fences. They included two handicap chases on Urambo, the first at the annual Beaufort Hunt fixture, the second at Towcester on Easter Monday.
Brendan’s eight winners in the 1945/46 season were, in chronological order:
Brendan’s eight winners in the 1945/46 season were, in chronological order:
Mary Stuart, Cheltenham, March 13, 1946
Mary Stuart, Cheltenham, March 13, 1946
Troube, Hereford, March 30, 1946
Troube, Hereford, March 30, 1946
Urambo, Beaufort Hunt, April 13, 1946
Urambo, Beaufort Hunt, April 13, 1946
Rest Assured, Cheltenham, April 16, 1946
Rest Assured, Cheltenham, April 16, 1946
Urambo, Towcester, April 22, 1946
Urambo, Towcester, April 22, 1946
Dark Wonder, Ludlow, April 25, 1946
Dark Wonder, Ludlow, April 25, 1946
Never Fear, Wincanton, May 10, 1946
Never Fear, Wincanton, May 10, 1946
Oakley Wood, Buckfastleigh, June 10, 1946
Oakley Wood, Buckfastleigh, June 10, 1946
Despite that promising start, Brendan did not stay long in Britain. By 1949 he was back in Ireland, recording a score of just six wins for the year. However, he enjoyed a far more successful year in 1951, recording 17 wins. They included four chase wins on Corbal Lis: at Navan in January, the Baldoyle Handicap Chase in February, at Tuam’s annual fixture in August, and back at Navan in November. He won on Carey’s Cottage twice, at Mallow in June and the Ballybrit Chase at the Galway festival. On the first day of December he rode Limavaddy to win a three-mile handicap chase at Leopardstown for owner-trainer James Ryan, ending the month back at Leopardstown with a Boxing Day victory on Mylerstown in the Bray Chase.
Despite that promising start, Brendan did not stay long in Britain. By 1949 he was back in Ireland, recording a score of just six wins for the year. However, he enjoyed a far more successful year in 1951, recording 17 wins. They included four chase wins on Corbal Lis: at Navan in January, the Baldoyle Handicap Chase in February, at Tuam’s annual fixture in August, and back at Navan in November. He won on Carey’s Cottage twice, at Mallow in June and the Ballybrit Chase at the Galway festival. On the first day of December he rode Limavaddy to win a three-mile handicap chase at Leopardstown for owner-trainer James Ryan, ending the month back at Leopardstown with a Boxing Day victory on Mylerstown in the Bray Chase.
Meanwhile, over the smaller obstacles, he won four handicap hurdles on Killala, at Down Royal in October and Mullingar in December, then twice at Naas in January and February 1952.
Meanwhile, over the smaller obstacles, he won four handicap hurdles on Killala, at Down Royal in October and Mullingar in December, then twice at Naas in January and February 1952.
Also in the early months of 1952, he won a two-mile handicap chase at Leopardstown in January on Fort Wayne, then finished second on him in the Ulster National at Downpatrick. Reunited with Carey’s Cottage, he rode him to victory at Leopardstown on April 5, then nine days later finished sixth on him in the Irish Grand National. On the last day of April, Brendan gained the most important success in Ireland when riding Game Toi to a half-length victory in the Conyngham Cup at Punchestown.
Also in the early months of 1952, he won a two-mile handicap chase at Leopardstown in January on Fort Wayne, then finished second on him in the Ulster National at Downpatrick. Reunited with Carey’s Cottage, he rode him to victory at Leopardstown on April 5, then nine days later finished sixth on him in the Irish Grand National. On the last day of April, Brendan gained the most important success in Ireland when riding Game Toi to a half-length victory in the Conyngham Cup at Punchestown.
No doubt spurred on by his success in Ireland, he crossed the Irish Sea for a second time and rode for two seasons in Britain, 1952/53 and 1953/54, based with trainer Tom Yates at Letcombe Bassett
No doubt spurred on by his success in Ireland, he crossed the Irish Sea for a second time and rode for two seasons in Britain, 1952/53 and 1953/54, based with trainer Tom Yates at Letcombe Bassett
He rode a dozen winners during the 1952/53 campaign. They included three on Limb Of The Law, who, following novice chase wins at Wolverhampton and Newbury in March, landed the Gratwicke Blagrave Memorial Challenge Cup at Cheltenham in April. He also won three on Crescendo, landing a beginners’ chase at Worcester in March, a handicap chase at Stratford in May, and the Ashperton Coronation Cup Chase at Hereford on Whit Monday. Both horses were trained by Tom Yates.
He rode a dozen winners during the 1952/53 campaign. They included three on Limb Of The Law, who, following novice chase wins at Wolverhampton and Newbury in March, landed the Gratwicke Blagrave Memorial Challenge Cup at Cheltenham in April. He also won three on Crescendo, landing a beginners’ chase at Worcester in March, a handicap chase at Stratford in May, and the Ashperton Coronation Cup Chase at Hereford on Whit Monday. Both horses were trained by Tom Yates.
Brendan rode nine winners in the 1953/54 season, mostly for Yates. Two of those wins came courtesy of handicap chaser Red Trump, at Wincanton in November and Lingfield in January. He ended 1953 in style with a New Year’s Eve double at Cheltenham aboard Bolt From The Blue in a four-year-old chase and Limb Of The Law in a two-mile handicap chase.
Brendan rode nine winners in the 1953/54 season, mostly for Yates. Two of those wins came courtesy of handicap chaser Red Trump, at Wincanton in November and Lingfield in January. He ended 1953 in style with a New Year’s Eve double at Cheltenham aboard Bolt From The Blue in a four-year-old chase and Limb Of The Law in a two-mile handicap chase.
His last three wins in Britain were achieved within ten days during the second half of February 1954: maiden hurdler Misty Night at Birmingham, handicap chaser Brown Hall at Warwick, and novice chaser Belliquex at Wincanton. He rode Limb Of The Law in the Cheltenham Grand Annual Chase at the National Hunt meeting on March 4, finishing sixth. That was one of the last occasions, possibly the last, on which Brendan O’Neill rode in Britain.
His last three wins in Britain were achieved within ten days during the second half of February 1954: maiden hurdler Misty Night at Birmingham, handicap chaser Brown Hall at Warwick, and novice chaser Belliquex at Wincanton. He rode Limb Of The Law in the Cheltenham Grand Annual Chase at the National Hunt meeting on March 4, finishing sixth. That was one of the last occasions, possibly the last, on which Brendan O’Neill rode in Britain.
He returned to his native Ireland but enjoyed only limited success, one of his few wins being on Stone Brook in the Limerick Junction Handicap Chase in April 1955.
He returned to his native Ireland but enjoyed only limited success, one of his few wins being on Stone Brook in the Limerick Junction Handicap Chase in April 1955.