A few days before his birthday
After a heavy fall: Jockey dies at the age of only 24
16.02.2025 – 10:53 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Michael O’Sullivan was considered an emerging star in the world of horse races. A fall now cost him his life.
The Irish jockey Michael O’Sullivan is dead. This announced the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (Ihrb) on Sunday. In a statement it said: “In the name of the O’Sullivan family, Ihrb confirms the death of Michael O’Sullivan with deep grief.” The rider died on Sunday morning with his family at his family at Cork University Hospital. O’Sullivan was only 24 years old. Particularly tragic: He would have celebrated his 25th birthday next Friday.
The cause of O’Sullivan’s death was an accident that was a little less than two weeks ago. In the two-mile race “Racing Again February 20th Handicap Chase” in Thurles in Irish, he had fallen heavily with the horse Wee Charlie on the last fence. The event was canceled shortly afterwards after a medical plane O’Sullivan had flown to the hospital. It later became known that he was in the intensive care unit at Cork University Hospital.
According to Darragh O’Loughhlin, CEO of the Ihrb, O’Sullivan was an “exceptionally talented young rider”. “Michael will be very missing from everyone in racing who had the pleasure of knowing him. Our sympathy applies to Michael’s family, especially his parents Bernadette and William and his brother Alan, who will feel his loss the most.”
Dr. Jennifer Pugh, Chief Medical Officer of the Ihrb, said: “I had the privilege of getting to know Michael during his amateur and professional career, and his commitment, modesty and his friendly way always made it a pleasure to be with him.”
O’Sullivan had already had some successes during his career. For example, he led the horse Marine Nationale in 2023 to victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in Cheltenham. In total, he celebrated 95 wins in just over 1,000 races in Ireland and Great Britain.