MICHAEL O’Sullivan enjoyed a dream start to the 2023 Cheltenham Festival when partnering the Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale to win the opening race of the week, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Despite his relative inexperience, having only turned professional that previous September, O’Sullivan proved well up to the task. In doing so, he added to a remarkable family legacy which dates back to the 1991 Foxhunters’ Chase.

“I was excited about riding Marine Nationale, despite the undoubted pressure of doing so,” the Mallow native said. “Being the first race of the Festival, there is always a huge buzz about the place before the Supreme.

“The roar from the stands as the race got underway was like nothing I had ever heard before. Not only was I lucky enough to have a ride in the race, I was on board one of the leading fancies.”

In winning an established trial, the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novices’ Hurdle, on his previous start, the son of French Navy showed the rest of the sport what close connections long believed to be true.

“Although he had been very impressive prior to Fairyhouse, he had only won a couple of summer bumpers and an early season maiden hurdle,” O’Sullivan added.

“He confirmed the potential we knew he possessed when he won the Royal Bond. We were adamant he was a very good horse but that day proved he was Grade 1 material.”

Sent off a strongly supported 9/2 chance on the back of some bullish comments from his trainer, Marine Nationale never gave his young jockey an anxious moment in the Supreme.

“The race went very smoothly; he was always travelling and jumped well. I was always happy with my position throughout. He settled nicely and once I gave him a squeeze off the home bend, he just came alive.

Confident

“About five strides after turning in, I was confident I was going to win once he jumped the last well.”

To ride a winner at the famous festival had been a long-held ambition for O’Sullivan. “I grew up hearing stories of my dad (William) winning the Foxhunters’ Chase on Lovely Citizen (1991).

“The horse, who was owned by my grandfather, was trained by my uncle Eugene (O’Sullivan). While that win came before I was even born, I was at the Festival in 2020 when my cousin Maxine won that same race on It Came To Pass for her father.

“I always wanted to ride at Cheltenham but to win the first race on day one of the festival was beyond expectations. My dad was also in attendance so that was all the more special. Hopefully, I was able to repay him in a small way for all the hard work and time he put into my riding growing up.”  

Later that same afternoon, O’Sullivan doubled his festival tally when riding the Gordon Elliott-trained Jazzy Matty to win the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at 18/1.

While his earlier victory in the Supreme Novices’ was half expected, in so far as one can be at such a competitive meeting, the second winner was certainly a nice surprise: “I was still on a cloud after winning on Marine Nationale, so I suppose I was able to go out and enjoy the race. Jazzy Matty had his chance of course but the Boodles tends to be a bit of a lottery.”

Immense satisfaction

Having spent two full summers with trainer Gordon Elliott and continuing to ride out at his yard one day a week while in college, O’Sullivan took immense satisfaction from being able to provide the Meath man with yet another festival success. “Gordon has always been very good to me and continues to support me whenever possible,” he said.

The decision to join the professional ranks in September 2022 was not one O’Sullivan took lightly, so he has quite naturally been delighted with how the last year or so has gone.

“I was doing quite well in the amateur ranks so I was taking a real leap of faith in switching. Thankfully, the season couldn’t have worked out any better for me. Not only did I end up riding three Grade 1 winners but I was also champion conditional jockey in Ireland.

“That latter title was always the immediate goal from when I turned professional. In that respect, my agent Ken Whelan did some sterling work in helping me realise that ambition.”

A link up with prominent owner/trainer Barry Connell came at just the right time for the young jockey. Having ridden for Connell in point-to-points and hunter chases early on in his career, a chance phone call to the former amateur rider proved the catalyst to future success.

“I rang up for the ride on Marine Nationale before he ran in his bumper in Punchestown. After the horse made a winning debut, I kept the ride in Killarney next time.” No doubt impressed by the jockey’s prowess in the saddle, Connell asked O’Sullivan if he would come in and ride out for him last summer and it just went from there.

Support

“As soon as I told Barry I had it in my head to turn professional, he promised to support me. To be fair, he has been true to his word from day one. Barry put me up on Enniskerry in a Grade 3 Chase at Roscommon last September when I was still claiming 7lb. And not too many owners/trainers would have done likewise when Marine Nationale ran in the Royal Bond (Grade 1) at Fairyhouse. I will forever be grateful to Barry for sticking by me during that early stage.”

In some ways, O’Sullivan’s career has developed almost side by side with that of Marine Nationale over the past 18 months. Having partnered the gelding to win both starts in bumpers, he was then on board when the horse made a winning debut over hurdles at Punchestown, before continuing the association for subsequent Grade 1 wins at Fairyhouse and Cheltenham.

Also, in the saddle when Barry Connell’s seven-year-old made a winning start to his chasing career at Leopardstown over Christmas, the Mallow man has been an ever present.

The fact that O’Sullivan was riding as an amateur at a time when Marine Nationale was starting out, then turned professional before the horse had made his hurdling debut enabled a formidable partnership to remain intact.

Aside from the support of his main employer Barry Connell and leading trainers such as Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins, O’Sullivan rode for over a 100 different trainers last season.

Noel Meade and Pat Fahy provided two of the more high-profile winners; namely Lieutenant Command (Grade B Handicap Chase) and Champagne Admiral (Leopardstown Christmas Festival).

However, the jockey values each and every opportunity presented to him, mindful of remaining close to his roots: “During my time riding in point-to-points, I built up a lot of strong connections with some of the smaller yards. While the likes of Barry, Gordon and Willie have been instrumental in my career, I appreciate the leg up I received from the point-to-point men starting out.

Give it everything

“No matter how far I go in this game, I won’t ever forget where I came from. The owner or trainer with one horse is just as important to me as the one with a hundred; when I ride a horse, I give it everything, no matter who it is I am riding for.”

When Marine Nationale made a hugely impressive debut over fences at Leopardstown at Christmas, the stage looks set for Michael O’Sullivan to add to his Cheltenham exploits next month.

However, the horse ran well below his best when a tired fifth in the Goffs Irish Arkle at Leopardstown in February and, at time of going to press, his participation in the Cheltenham version was somewhat uncertain, though he remains favourite for the race.

Quite rightly regarded as one of the Irish bankers of the 2024 Festival, Marine Nationale may not be the one to get visiting punters off to a winning start as he did 12 months ago. However, Michael O’Sullivan is sure to be in demand over the four days of the 2024 Festival and remains a rider to keep on your side.