Lance Anthony O'Sullivan (born 28 August 1963 in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

) is a

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

horse trainer and former champion jockey in

. Lance is the son of premiership winning horse trainer Dave O’Sullivan and the brother of Paul O'Sullivan.

Riding career

O'Sullivan retired from riding in 2003 with a record 2358 New Zealand winners. In addition to this total he rode a further 121 winners offshore in places as diverse as Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Singapore and Turkey. When he retired O'Sullivan was credited with winning: 12 New Zealand Jockey's Premierships (a record), having broken Bill Broughton's long-standing record of 11 and 62 GP1 winners. His biggest win as a jockey was the 1989

Japan Cup The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...

on champion mare

Horlicks Horlicks is a sweet malted milk hot drink powder developed by founders James and William Horlick. It was first sold as "Horlick's Infant and Invalids Food", soon adding "aged and travellers" to their label. In the early 20th century, it was so ...

, breaking the world record for 2400m. Despite a number of attempts O'Sullivan was never quite able to win the Race That Stops The Nation: the

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melbou ...

. He came agonisingly close in 1985 when run down in the final few strides on Koiro Corrie May by

What A Nuisance What A Nuisance (1978–2005) was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He was best known for winning the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse in November 1985. Background What A Nuisance was a bay horse with a white sock on his r ...

. He was also jockey of

Waverley Star Waverley Star (foaled 1982) was a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who is best remembered for finishing second to Bonecrusher in the 1986 Cox Plate – widely referred to as the 'race of the century'. Waverley Star, who was known as Our Wav ...

, who was unfortunate to run into the champion

Bonecrusher Bonecrusher may refer to: * Bone crusher, a machine used to crush animal bones * Bonecrusher (horse), a New Zealand racehorse * Bonecrusher (Transformers), a fictional robot supervillain character in the Transformers robot superhero franchise. * ...

, in the 1986

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...

. Dubbed the " Race of the Century"

finished a gallant second, after a 2 horse war with Bonecrusher from the 800m, only succumbing to the champion in the last few strides. He did achieve redemption, courtesy of Surfers Paradise, the previous seasons

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day o ...

winner, who looped the field on the home turn to win the 1991 running of the

. In the

2003 New Year Honours The 2003 New Year's Honours List is one of the annual New Year Honours, a part of the British monarch's honours system, where 1 January is marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of ot ...

, O'Sullivan was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

, for services to thoroughbred racing. In 2006, O'Sullivan was part of the inaugural class inducted in the

New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame recognises and honours those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand thoroughbred horse racing industry. History The Hall of Fame's first group of honorees were inducted in 2006, and inductions are he ...

Training career

Lance O'Sullivan's father, Dave, founded the Wexford Stables at Matamata. Lance's brother,

Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

, trained in partnership with their father before moving to Hong Kong Jockey Club in 2004. Starting in the 2006–07 season Lance O'Sullivan has trained in partnership with Andrew Scott who previously worked in partnership with Mike Moroney at Ballymore Stables. Key successes include: * Asterix - winner of the 2022

. * Dark Destroyer - winner of the 2022

Tarzino Trophy The Tarzino Trophy also known as the Challenge Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and is New Zealand, New Zealand's first Group One race of the season. It is run over a distance of 1400m in September. Th ...

* Rocket Spade - winner of the 2021

. * Force of Will - winner of the 2021 Desert Gold Stakes. * Rocket Spade - winner of the 2021 Auckland Guineas. * Dragon Leap - winner of the 2020 Auckland Guineas. * Pentane - winner of the 2006

Auckland Cup The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres (two miles) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race was ...

* Summer Passage - winner of the 2017 Sistema Stakes. * Willie Cazals - winner of the 2016

Spring Classic The Livamol Classic is a Weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and was at one stage New Zealand's richest horse race. It is run at a distance of 2040m. The race is run in October. The weather in the Haw ...

(Livamol Classic). * Pure Champion - winner of the 2014

Windsor Park Plate The Arrowfield Stud Plate is a New Zealand Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay. The race is registered as the Horlicks Plate and has been previously known as: * the Windsor Park Plate. In 2022 the race sponsor and na ...

References

External links

Profile of Lance O'Sullivan at Wexford Stables
1963 births Living people New Zealand jockeys New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductees Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit New Zealand racehorse trainers {{NewZealand-horseracing-bio-stub

Riding career

Training career

See also

References

External links