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

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 Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

who won two

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (motorsport), a regulation set of the FIA for series-production touring cars used in motorsport. * Group One Thoroughbred horse races, the leading e ...

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 ...

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

Tony O'Reilly Sir Anthony John Francis O'Reilly (7 May 1936 – 18 May 2024) was an Irish businessman and international rugby union player. He was known for his try scoring in rugby, his involvement in the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from ...

. 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: Arts and entertainment * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the 1993 film * ''Dave'' (TV series), a 2020 American comedy series * ...

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

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

. 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. It was traditionally raced during the Wellington Cup carnival in mid-January, however from 2025 it has bee ...

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

1600m at

Flemington Racecourse Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is the world's richest handicap and the world's richest 3200-metre horse race. The race ...

. However, during his next start, in the 1200m

Newmarket Handicap The Newmarket Handicap is a Victoria Racing Club Group One, 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 Carn ...

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. He died in his paddock at Waikato Stud in

Matamata Matamata () is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which take ...

, on December 31, 2014, of a suspected ruptured aorta.

Notable progeny

O'Reilly has produced 15 individual

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

winners: ''c = colt, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...

, g =

gelding A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By compa ...

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

, 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, 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 Roseh ...

. * Mo'unga ( Savabeel - 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. Prize ...

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 ...

* Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai - Sancerre), winner of the 2023 Empire Rose Stakes &

Cantala Stakes The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the ''Cantala Stakes'', is a Group One, Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day du ...

and 2024

All-Star Mile The All-Star Mile is an Australian thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres that is rotated between Flemington Racecourse, Caulfield Racecourse and The Valley in Melbourne, Australia in March each year. It was run for the first time in 2019 ...

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 ...

Feehan Stakes The John F. Feehan Stakes is a Moonee Valley Racing Club Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under Weight for Age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1600 meters at Moonee Valley Racecourse in S ...

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 (2009–2019, Iguazu's Girl by Redoute's Choice), sire of Icebath and Aegon * Shamexpress (2009, Volkrose by Volksraad), sire of Coventina Bay * The King (2011, The Grin by Grosvenor)

References