O'Reilly (horse)

O'Reilly (24 August 1993 - 31 December 2014[1]) was a New Zealand bred and trained thoroughbred racehorse who won two Group 1 races.

O'Reilly
O'Reilly on pasture
SireLast Tycoon (Ire)
GrandsireTry My Best (USA)
DamCourtza (NZ)
DamsirePompeii Court (USA)
SexMale
Foaled24 August 1993
Died31 December 2014(2014-12-31) (aged 21)
CountryNew Zealand
BreederWaikato Stud Holdings Limited
OwnerGary J Chittick
TrainerDave and Paul O'Sullivan
Record6: 4-1-0
Major wins
Levin Classic (1996), Telegraph Handicap (1997)

O'Reilly was bred by Waikato Stud Holdings Limited. His dam, Courtza, was the winner of the 1989 Golden Slipper Stakes. He was named after the Irish international rugby player and businessman Tony O'Reilly. [2]

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

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 at Trentham, an open handicap event over 1200m, winning by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:07.36 over Krispin Klear and Jazzac.[3]

On 15 February 1997, he placed second to Mouawad in the Australian Guineas 1600m at Flemington Racecourse.

However, during his next start, in the 1200m Newmarket Handicap 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 for 1996 and 1997, champion sprinter, and champion miler.[4]

Stud career

After sustaining an injury that caused him to retire from racing, O'Reilly was put to stallion duties at Waikato Stud.[5]

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, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled Name Sex Dam Dam Sire Major Wins
1999 The Jewel [6] f The Grin Grosvenor New Zealand 1000 Guineas
New Zealand International Stakes
2001 Swick [7] g Creme Anglaise (NZ) Crested Wave VRC Sprint Classic
2002 Fellowship g Mystical Flight Danzalion Hong Kong Stewards' Cup
2002 Master O'Reilly g Without Remorse (NZ) Bakharoff (US) Caulfield Cup
2003 Guyno [8] g River Century Centaine WATC Derby
2004 Alamosa [9] c Lodore Mystik Centaine Ford Diamond Stakes
Thorndon Mile
Otaki-Maori Weight for Age
Toorak Handicap
2007 Shamrocker [10] f Bohemian Blues Blues Traveller (Ire) Australian Guineas
AJC Derby
2008 Silent Achiever f Winning Spree Zabeel New Zealand Derby
New Zealand Stakes
Ranvet Stakes
The BMW
2009 Sacred Falls c Iguazu's Girl Redoute's Choice New Zealand 2000 Guineas
Doncaster Handicap (twice)
George Main Stakes
2009 Shamexpress [11] g Volkrose Volksraad Newmarket Handicap
2011 O'Marilyn [12] f Monroe Magic Zabeel Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes
2013 MacO'Reilly [13] g Double Babu Centaine New Zealand International Stakes
New Zealand Stakes
2013 Tiptronic [14] g Tiptoes Pins Herbie Dyke Stakes
Zabeel Classic
2014 Grunt c Ruqqaya Van Nistelrooy Australian Guineas
Makybe Diva Stakes
2015 Brutal [15] c Alberton Princess Golan (Ire) Doncaster Handicap

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:

Sire sons

A number of sons of O'Reilly have become sires:[16]

  • Alamosa (2004, dam: Lodore Mystic by Centaine), sire of Kirramosa and Stolen Dance[17] [18]
  • O'Reilly's Choice (2013, Dorotea Dior by Redoute's Choice)[19]
  • Sacred Falls (2009-2019, Iguazu's Girl by Redoute's Choice), sire of Icebath and Aegon[20] [21]
  • Shamexpress (2009, Volkrose by Volksraad),[22] sire of Coventina Bay[23]
  • The King (2011, The Grin by Grosvenor)

See also

Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand

References

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