THE story so far: amateur rider turns professional in September. Wins first Grade 1 race in December, another in February. Now in demand every day. Booked to ride two of Ireland’s best novice hurdlers in Cheltenham next week and probably a few fancied ones in handicaps too.
This summary of Michael O’Sullivan’s season sounds more like a movie script. You could be forgiven for thinking the 23-year-old must be full of himself, living a rockstar life, but how wrong you’d be.
Chatting after racing in Leopardstown this week, the 23-year-old from Lombardstown in Co Cork comes across as a very bright and level-headed young man, aware of his good fortune but also quietly confident in his ability to deliver.
Asked if his success has changed his life, he politely replies: “Ah no, I am unfazed by it. It took me a long time to make the decision to go professional but I had been thinking about it since I was in secondary school. When I turned, I was hoping it would go well from the get-go. I couldn’t have foreseen the big winners but I was just very lucky to get on those horses and it’s been great.”
As we chat it becomes apparent that he is quietly executing a long-term plan of his own, though his father William may have planted the seeds many years ago.
Lovely Citizen
Many readers will recall William O’Sullivan, the amateur rider who rode Lovely Citizen to win the Foxhunters at Cheltenham in 1991. William’s brother Eugene trained the horse and it was a hell of a big deal. Ireland only had two Festival winners that year – Destriero was the other one.
“Dad was a very accomplished amateur,” Michael says. “He won the La Touche and the Ladies Cup at Punchestown, a lot of good winners from limited chances. He retired from riding when I was about four or five years of age. He brought me all over the country with ponies, and believed I would learn more from show jumping, eventing and hunter trials than I would from pony racing.
“Pony racing is good to teach you how to ride a finish and look tidy on a horse. But for a jump jockey it might be better to first learn how to be a horseman. I think it’s easier for a horseman to learn how to be a jockey than the other way around.”
The Lovely Citizen story was recalled just three years ago when Eugene won the Foxhunters again with It Came To Pass, this time with his daughter Maxine in the plate.
“I was there that day, I walked back up the chute alongside Maxine,” Michael remembers. At that stage Michael was already champion under-21 point-to-point rider and almost halfway through his four-year Animal Science degree in UCD.
While in Dublin, Michael rode out for Gordon Elliott and went racing at weekends. For a tall fellow, he managed to keep his weight down through those college years and continued to follow his plan.
“After I graduated last May, I moved to Paulstown [in Co Kilkenny] where I share a house with a few lads. I was riding out for Willie [Mullins] a couple of days, and Gordon, tipping around to a few different lads, schooling for plenty, and getting home to Eugene’s horses when I could.”
Connell connection
On May 28th, 2022, Michael rode Marine Nationale to win an end-of-season bumper for owner-trainer Barry Connell. It was the start of something big.
Connell continued to use the then 7lb-claiming amateur any time he could, even in races where Michael couldn’t use his claim. After Michael won a Grade 3 novice chase at Roscommon on Enniskerry, Connell described the jockey as “the next superstar”.
At Fairyhouse in early December, Michael was given the ride on Marine Nationale in the Royal Bond and got up on the line to win. Fast forward to Leopardstown in early February and Michael rode Good Land to win another Grade 1 in the Connell colours. No claim allowed in either race.
Gigginstown House Stud have also come calling. Just last Sunday at Leopardstown Michael won the feature race for them on Lieutenant Command.
He admits he is excited ahead of next week but you’d hardly guess it. “Excited, a bit nervous, yeah, but confident in the horses. I wish it was starting tomorrow. I’ll go over on Sunday night after Naas and ride out at the track every morning. Once I get Monday evening out of the way, the time will fly.”
Ground conditions
Good ground is important for Marine Nationale, he says. “His class got him through the soft ground at Fairyhouse but the better the ground the better for him. Good Land is more versatile. He has come on for his run at the Dublin Racing Festival.”
In addition to the Connell pair, Michael rides Magnor Glory for Terence O’Brien in the County Hurdle and he hints that he has the choice of a few in the Martin Pipe, where his claim will give him an advantage. You’d imagine a few shrewd owners and trainers already have his name on their wanted list for the other handicaps.
“I can claim 5lb off 10st 3lb, that’s as light I can do. My weight is good, so that’s one less thing to worry about.”
The new British whip rules are on his mind, however. “I have long arms, so I tend to hit them in the right position and I generally don’t go above shoulder height. The frequency is the main worry.
“Trying to keep count of how many times you have used your whip in a tight finish is near impossible.
“ If you’re thinking about that you’re not thinking about what else you should be doing.
“But I have been practising in recent weeks and telling myself to put it down if maybe I’ve used it plenty. I think I’m okay.”
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