A new name but the aim is the same for Jonjo O’Neill as the jumps season gathers momentum ahead of the big November Meeting at Cheltenham.

Jonjo’s youngest son, 25-year-old AJ, has joined him on the training licence and instead of sending out runners under the name Jonjo O’Neill Racing, the team will now be known quite simply as O’Neill Racing.

And it’s something that Jonjo, who is 72, is very happy about.

“It’s just a natural progression really,” he said. “AJ has been assisting me for a couple of years now and completed all of his training qualifications so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make things official.

“He is very meticulous and has lots of ideas, so fingers crossed we will have a bit of luck and lots of winners.”

They’ve enjoyed a pretty solid start to the season and they are certainly hoping to kick on with the big races set to come thick and fast over the coming weeks.

And AJ, who was a top amateur jockey, will certainly be key in everything moving forward.

“It’s actually really nice to have another pair of eyes, hands and feet at home and at the races,” said Jonjo.

“AJ still rides out every morning so he is sitting on lots of the horses and working closely with the other jockeys.

“Myself, AJ and Jonjo Jr work very closely in the office, planning races and the routes for all the horses.

“And at the races, once we get into the heart of the season, we often have runners at various racecourses on the same day, which means we can literally be in two places at once.”

So what are the strengths that AJ brings to the partnership?

“He is very methodical and meticulous in everything he does,” Jonjo said. “He also has a huge interest in the veterinary side of things and works closely with our vets, which is a great help to me.

“On top of that, it’s probably just a fresh pair of eyes looking at everything, another idea coming to the table and some new ideas with some of the training at home.”

Home is the state-of-the-art stables at Jackdaws Castle in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Jonjo has been based there for well over 20 years and he said: “We are exceptionally fortunate to train at Jackdaws Castle, it’s the best place to train horses in Britain in a wonderful location.”

Jonjo won all the top races in a stellar riding career, of course, and has also enjoyed great success as a trainer.

He remains one of the great names in the sport and AJ readily admits that couldn’t wish for a better teacher.

“I’m very lucky to have learned from one of the best in the game,” he said. “I could be here all day if I mentioned everything I have learned from him, and lots of it is just watching and listening.

“He has a real knack for knowing what horses need, or don’t need for that matter, and is always patient in letting the horses reach their full potential.”

And Jonjo is certainly going to remain hands-on even though there is clearly a plan in place for AJ to take over at some stage.

“I’m not retiring if that’s what you’re asking!” he said. “We haven’t put a timeframe or any pressure on anything. We will see how it all works and keep trying to improve year on year and get lots of winners.

“We are very happy with the start we’ve had. We don’t have many summer runners but they have all been running nicely and we’ve had some really pleasing winners.

“On the track, it’s just a case of continuing on the upward curve. The first target is to surpass the £1 million mark in prize money which we were a few thousand away from hitting last season.”

So are there any horses they have particularly high hopes for this season?

“It’s hard to pick out just a few horses as we have some lovely youngsters,” said Jonjo. “To name a few we hope have a good season would be Mister Meggitt, Bill Joyce and Tellherthename.”

The November Meeting runs from Friday 15^th to Sunday 17^th and Jonjo is certainly looking forward to it.

“It’s a great meeting with a real festival feeling and the weekend that the season really feels like it gets going,” said Jonjo. “It’s always exciting to have runners at the meeting.

“I have been very lucky to win the big race at the November meet a few times with Exotic Dancer, Johns Spirit and, most recently, Taquin Du Seuil. It’s the biggest prize of the season up to that point and a brilliant race to win.”

It’s clear that Jonjo has lost none of his enthusiasm for the sport but what is it about jumps racing that is so exciting for him even now?

“When you love something, the enthusiasm never wanes,” he said. “I still eat, sleep and breathe the sport and every day offers a different challenge.

“There are so many tough days which make the good ones all the more enjoyable, memorable and satisfying… and that’s the feeling we all crave. There is no better feeling than winning a big race.”

That enthusiasm for all things racing is something that he has passed on to AJ and top jockey Jonjo Jr, and AJ is certainly ready for the exciting challenges that lie ahead.

“It’s just a case of continuing on an upward trajectory,” he said.

“O’Neill Racing is a family business and we hope that everyone who works with us feels like extended family.

“We all get on incredibly well and offer one another lots of support.

“On good days it’s great to share the success with mum, dad, Jonj and the rest of the team and on not so good ones, we all rally around each other and always look forward. It makes everything a lot easier, that’s for sure.”