Trainer Profile

County of Origin: Kildare

Date of Licence: 2001

First winner: Grand Lili (Brian Byrnes) Bellewstown, June 30, 2005

First Group race winner: A Case Of You (Gary Garroll), Group 3 Anglesey Stakes, Curragh, October 2020

Cheltenham Festival winner: Seddon (Ben Harvey), Magners Plate Handicap Chase, March 2023

Significant horses (Selected): Seddon, A Case Of You, Go Another One, Orgilgo Bay, Sophist, Dul Ar An Ol, Minot Street, Blue Ridge Lane, Royal Approval, Sheila's Hope, Sheilas Wish, Get Out Of Jail, Lady Olwyn, Lindenhurst, Pearl Of The West, Anna Bunina, Hereditary Rule. 

Did you know: 

A qualified vet, John McConnell began training in 2001 but had to wait until June 2005 for his first winner which came at Bellewstown in the shape of Grand Lili which was ridden by Brian Byrnes.

Originally from Two Mile House in County Kildare, but now based in Stamullen, County Meath, John has enjoyed a steady stream of success ever since, with his most notable winners being Sophist in a Grade 3 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse in 2006, Orgilgo Bay in the Lartigue Handicap Hurdle at the Listowel Festival in 2014 and with Go Another One in the Grade 3 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle in February 2019.

John also boasts a good return on his runners in Britain and he was a winner at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival with the Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate-onwed Seddon. The same horse had won at the 2022 Leopardstown Christmas Festival and also scored at the Punchestown Festival a month after his Cheltenham heroics. 

A Case Of You, ridden by Gary Carroll, gave John a first Group race success in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh in October, 2020. 

Updated: January 2024