David John O'Sullivan (5 October 1933 – 26 April 2024) was a New Zealand

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse trainer. He is notable for having trained

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to win 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 ...

and many Group One races in New Zealand and Australia as well as being inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.

Early life and riding career

O'Sullivan was born on 5 October 1933. He started as an apprentice jockey and had 125 wins over a decade of riding. He won the 1953 Railway Stakes on Te Awa, and would go on to win the race six times as a trainer.

Training career

In February 1961, O'Sullivan became a licensed trainer. His first ever black-type win was Oopik ridden by then stable apprentice Peter Johnson in the 1973 Hawke's Bay Guineas. Oopik later won the 1976

Sydney Cup The Sydney Cup is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred handicap horse race, for horses three years old and older, run over 3200 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in the autumn during the ATC Championships series ...

, ridden by O'Sullivan's first apprentice Roger Lang. The O’Sullivan/Lang combination also won with Shivaree in the 1979 Tancred Stakes and

Queen Elizabeth Stakes (ATC) The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, formerly known as the Queen's Plate, AJC Plate, and AJC King's Cup, is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Randwick Racecours ...

at Sydney. During his training career, O'Sullivan won one premiership title independently (1978–79 with 62 wins) and eleven in partnership with his son,

Paul Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...

. He trained 1877 winners. In 1990, O'Sullivan was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, for services to Thoroughbred racing. In 2021, it was noted that O'Sullivan had attended the National Yearling Sales for 60 years. When interviewed he stated the best horse he purchased there was Mr Tiz.

Death and legacy

O'Sullivan died on 26 April 2024, at the age of 90. O'Sullivan's son

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was a champion jockey who, like his father, was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Lance 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 r ...

, for services to Thoroughbred racing, in the 2003 New Year Honours.

Notable horses and victories

Dave O'Sullivan trained or co-trained a large number of high-class horses, including: * Blue Denim, winner of the 1980 Auckland Cup and runner up in the 1980 Melbourne Cup * Cure, winner of the 1986

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 New Zealand () is an island country in the sout ...

* Do Si Do, winner of the 1993 Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes * Eastern Joy, winner of the 1985

Easter Handicap The Easter Handicap or Easter Stakes is a major horse race held at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is raced over a distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 1 mile) by three-year-old and upwards thoroughbreds. Race history Althou ...

* Golden Rhapsody, winner of the 1982 Air New Zealand Stakes * High Regards, winner of the 1985 Telegraph Handicap *

, winner of the 1989

and LKS MacKinnon Stakes * Hulastrike, winner of the 1992 New Zealand 2000 Guineas * Koiro Corrie May, runner up in the 1985 Melbourne Cup * La Souvronne, winner of the 1984 AJC Oaks * Lurestina, winner of the 1992 New Zealand Stakes * Miltak, winner of the 1993 New Zealand Oaks and 1994 Auckland Cup * Morar, winner of the 1992 Telegraph Handicap * Mr Tiz winner of seven Group One races including the Galaxy Stakes & Waikato Sprint in 1991, the Railway Stakes three times (1989-91) and the Telegraph Handicap twice (1989, 1990) * Nimue, winner of the 1992

and Levin Classic * Oopik, winner of the 1973 Hawke's Bay Guineas and 1976 New Zealand International Stakes &

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, winner of the 1996 Levin Classic and 1997 Telegraph Handicap * Our Shah, winner of the 1982

* Popsy, winner of the 1993 New Zealand Derby * Shivaree, winner of the 1979 New Zealand International Stakes, Tancred Stakes &

and 1981

* Silver Tip, winner of the 1986 Railway Handicap * Snap, winner of the 1993 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes &

and 1994 New Zealand Oaks & Enerco Stakes and 1991 Waikato Sprint *

Surfers Paradise Surfing is a list of surface water sports, surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in Glossary of surfing, tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wind wave, wave of water, whic ...

, winner of the 1990 New Zealand 2000 Guineas & New Zealand Derby and 1991 New Zealand Stakes, Rosehill Guineas & Cox Plate * Vialli, winner of the 1996 Enerco Stakes and 1998 Japan Racing Association Classic as well as placing 2nd in the 1996 Australian Cup and 3rd in the 1997 Cox Plate * Waverley Star, winner of the 1986 Auckland Classic and 1987 Chipping Norton Stakes as well as runner up to Bonecrusher in the 1986 Cox Plate commonly known as the Race of the Century

References

1933 births 2024 deaths New Zealand racehorse trainers Sportspeople from Matamata New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductees {{NewZealand-horseracing-bio-stub

Early life and riding career

Training career

Death and legacy

Notable horses and victories

See also

References