Last Sunday, news that nobody in racing wanted to hear broke: that 24-year-old Michael O’Sullivan had died as a result of injuries received in a fall at Thurles on the 6th of this month.
A talented young rider, Michael had teamed up with Barry Connell in 2022 to win his first Grade 1 with Marine National in Fairyhouse’s Royal Bond Hurdle, followed by Good Land in the Nathaniel Lacy Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
The highlight of his career was Marine National’s win in the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the opening day of last year’s Cheltenham Festival, where he went on to complete a double, riding Jazzy Matty to victory in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle for Gordon Elliott. The following day Michael, still a claimer, wore the Golden Armband as the leading rider at the festival after the first day.
His family is steeped in national hunt racing, with his father William winning the 1991 Foxhunters at Cheltenham aboard his grandfather’s Lovely Citizen, trained by his uncle Eugene. His cousin, Eugene’s daughter, is leading lady rider Maxine, who also won the 2020 Foxhunters aboard It Came To Pass.
All racing in Ireland, Punchestown, and three point to point meetings on Sunday were cancelled as a mark of respect. Racing this afternoon (Thursday) at Thurles, where the fall occurred, is also cancelled as a mark of respect. May he rest in peace.
Racing does take place today at Punchestown from 1.25 pm, and again tomorrow from 1.50 pm – replacing the two meetings cancelled earlier in the week. Tomorrow evening there is flat racing on the all-weather at Dundalk, away at 5 pm.
On Saturday, Irish racing takes place at Fairyhouse featuring the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase, with first race at 1.05 pm. On Sunday, racing is at Naas (off at 1.50 pm), featuring the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle and Newlands Chase – both Grade 3 races.
No racing takes place Monday. The Knockanard and Tinahely point-to-point meetings that were postponed last Sunday will take place this Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Racing review
The Gordon Elliott trained Ballybow won the Grade 3 Novice Hurdle, beating the Willie Mullins trained Ballygunner Castle by ½l at Clonmel last Thursday. The Cheltenham Festival and the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is the next stop for the six-year-old, who was ridden by Sam Ewing.
On Sunday at Gowran Park, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend won the opening maiden hurdle and continued their run in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle, with Kitzbuhel beating Break My Soul and Sir Gerhard finishing third. The Red Mills Chase also went to Mullins (for the fifth time), with nephew Danny in the saddle winning from the Mullins-trained favourite Saint Sam with Townend aboard.
Racing news
Patrick Mullins continued his tour of British racecourses this day week, when he added Newcastle – scoring on his father’s Armed And Fabulous to make it 15 out of the 41 courses that he has ridden a winner on (10 out of 16 rides this season).
