O'Reilly (24 August 1993 - 31 December 2014) was a New Zealand bred and trained

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 ...

racehorse who won two

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

races. O'Reilly was bred by Waikato Stud Holdings Limited. His dam, Courtza, was the winner of the 1989

Golden Slipper Stakes The Golden Slipper Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses run over 1,200 metres on turf at set weights conditions, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. It is the premier two y ...

. He was named after the Irish international rugby player and businessman

Tony O'Reilly Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly (born 7 May 1936) is an Irish former businessman and international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement in the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009,Dublin, Ireland, ...

. He was entered in the 1995 Karaka Yearling Sales but was unable to be sold when he failed a veterinary test, due to an abnormality in his larynx, so he was retained by his owner, Gary Chittick.

Racing career

O'Reilly was initially placed with Melbourne trainer, Gerald Ryan, but due to injuries was put out to paddock for eight months. After his rest he was then trained by

Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

and Paul O'Sullivan at Matamata and ridden in all his races by

Lance O'Sullivan Lance Anthony O'Sullivan (born 28 August 1963 in New Zealand) is a Thoroughbred horse trainer and former champion jockey in New Zealand. Lance is the son of premiership winning horse trainer Dave O’Sullivan and the brother of Paul O'Sulliv ...

. In the November 1996 Bayer Classic Group 1 event for 3 year old horses at Otaki, he beat High Return and Rebel. In January 1997, he contested the

Telegraph Handicap The Telegraph Handicap is a Group One New Zealand horse race contested by the Wellington Racing Club at Trentham Racecourse in Upper Hutt, during the Wellington Cup carnival in January. The Telegraph Handicap, raced over 1200 metres, and the R ...

at Trentham, an open handicap event over 1200m, winning by 2 3/4

lengths Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Intern ...

in 1:07.36 over Krispin Klear and Jazzac. On 15 February 1997, he placed second to Mouawad in the

Australian Guineas The Australian Guineas is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run at set weights, over a distance of 1600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, in Melbourne, Australia in March during the VRC Autumn Racing Carn ...

1600m at Flemington Racecourse. However, during his next start, in the 1200m

Newmarket Handicap The Newmarket Handicap is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred open handicap horse race over a distance of 1200 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on Super Saturday in March during the VRC Autumn Racing Carnival. Prize ...

at Flemington, he ruptured a suspensory ligament which finished his racing career after only six race day starts. Remarkably, O’Reilly was

New Zealand Horse of the Year There is a New Zealand horse of the year in each of the racing codes: - Standardbred or harness racing, either pacers or trotters, and - Thoroughbred racing or gallopers. Harness Horse of the Year The New Zealand Harness Horse of the Year award ...

for 1996 and 1997, champion sprinter, and champion miler.

Stud career

After sustaining an injury that caused him to retire from racing, O'Reilly was put to stallion duties at Waikato Stud. O'Reilly proved to be very successful as a stallion and ended up standing for a fee of $60,000.

Notable progeny

O'Reilly has produced 15 individual Group One winners: ''c =

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

, f = filly, g =

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

'' He was New Zealand's top sire in 2007/08, 2011/12, 2012/13, and 2013/14.

As a Dam Sire

Daughters of O'Reilly have produced stakes winners such as: * Daffodil (No Excuse Needed - Spring), winner of the 2008

New Zealand 1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas is a Group One set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of 1600 metres (1 mile) at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand Cup week It is on the final Satu ...

, 2009

AJC Oaks The Australian Oaks is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three year old fillies at set weights run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney in the autumn during the ATC Championships series. The Aus ...

and

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 ...

. * Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer - Rare Insight), winner of the 2012

Bill Ritchie Handicap The Bill Ritchie Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group 3 Thoroughbred open quality handicap horse race for horses three years old and older, over a distance of 1400 metres, held annually at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in September. T ...

, 2012 & 2013 Breeders Classic and 2014

Coolmore Classic The Coolmore Classic, registered as the TAD Kennedy Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three years old and upwards under set weights conditions, run over a distance of 1500 metres at Rosehil ...

. * Mo'unga (

Savabeel Savabeel is a retired Australian Thoroughbred race horse and active Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. He is best known for his win in the 2004 Cox Plate. He was trained by Graeme Rogerson, and ridden by Chris Munce in his most important wins. B ...

- Chandelier), winner of the 2021

Winx Stakes The Winx Stakes, registered as the Warwick Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian Turf Club thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 1400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in August. Priz ...

and

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

Sire sons

A number of sons of O'Reilly have become sires: * Alamosa (2004, dam: Lodore Mystic by Centaine), sire of Kirramosa and Stolen Dance * O'Reilly's Choice (2013, Dorotea Dior by Redoute's Choice) *

Sacred Falls Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleric. ...

(2009-2019, Iguazu's Girl by Redoute's Choice), sire of Icebath and Aegon * Shamexpress (2009, Volkrose by Volksraad), sire of Coventina Bayhttps://www.windsorparkstud.co.nz/shamexpress * The King (2011, The Grin by Grosvenor)

References