Michael O’Sullivan

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For those who keep a close eye on Irish racing, Michael O’Sullivan has been a name to watch for a while, creeping up through the ranks and impressing along the way. But anyone who missed his rise certainly got to see him at his best when he hit the headlines at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.

Riding a double at the meeting, with wins on board Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty on the same day, he really made a splash and did it on one of the biggest stages of them all. It was his first win at the Cheltenham Festival, and before winning on Marine Nationale, he’d had just one festival ride, which was a year earlier in 2022.

The two winners giving him those successes are two of his biggest supporters, Barry Connell, who he predominantly rides for, and Gordon Elliott, who also gives O’Sullivan plenty of chances, both at home and on the track.

A month after that huge day at Cheltenham, another Irish trainer gave O’Sullivan a big break in another huge race, the Grand National at Aintree. In 2023, O’Sullivan made his debut in the race, and it was Willie Mullins that handed it to him.

Carefully selected was the horse, and just like his jockey, he was also making his first appearance in the race. However, Mullins had plenty of experience and must have been confident putting the pairing together.

While never looking like really getting involved in the finish, the first trip around the big Aintree fences for O’Sullivan was a positive one, he got the whole way around, and his mount would finish 14^th position in the race.

With plenty of relationships in Ireland that include some of the biggest names in racing, it seems clear that O’Sullivan will get more opportunities in the big one for years to come.