Lance O’Sullivan sets N.Z. record

Press, 25 July 1986, Page 25

Lance O’Sullivan sets N.Z. record

PA New Plymouth "It will be a quiet night, maybe one or two' cans with the boys,” said top jockey Lance O’Sullivan after setting a New Zealand record of winning rides in a season at Hawera on Wednesday. He began the Opunake Racing Club’s meeting at Hawera on 138 wins for the season which was equal to the New Zealand record set last year by David Walsh.

O’Sullivan, had eight rides at the meeting but had to wait until his final mount, Del’s Delight, in the last race of the day to break the record.

“This beats anything I have done this season, it’s a great buzz,” O’Sullivan, aged 22, said.

Lance O’Sullivan set the new total in excellent style.

Del’s Delight took the lead shortly before the final turn and the Matamata jockey then had an armchair ride as the pair raced away to a six-length win.

“My horse killed them, he went away so quickly from the others that I didn’t even have time to turn around and wave goodbye,” he said. "Once I got to the front I was riding for my life,” he added. O’Sullivan was not worried that he had to wait all day for the win.

“I still had three more meetings after today’s to break the record. Other people were panicking for me,” he said.

He said the crowd reaction was unbelievable when he did finally land\ the record breaking winner. "I could hear them a long way from home,” he said.

He said setting the new record was the most important feat of his riding career. It surpassed his achievement earlier this season of riding a century of winners for the first time.

O’Sullivan says the best gallopers he has been associated with this season have been Waverly Star, Eastern Joy, High Regards, Bourbon Boy and Catering King. He rates the best success as Waverly Star’s win in the Television New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie on April 5. His second placing on Koiro Corrie May in last November’s Melbourne Cup also gets a special mention.

Of the immediate future O’Sullivan is looking forward to a fortnight’s holiday in Hawaii. “I leave on. August 4 and it will be the first break from riding I’ve had since this time last year,” he said. In the long term O’Sullivan believes he could wind up joining the exodus of New Zealand jockeys to Australia. “But I intend to stay in New Zealand for at least a couple more years yet,” he said. O’Sullivan’s record breaking winner Del’s Delight is a three-year-old gelding by Pevero from Our Delight and is trained

at Hamilton by William Chua. . Del’s Delight has won her last three races and O’Sullivan has been the successful rider on each occasion.

O’Sullivan will attempt to add to his tally for the season at Ruakaka today. His rides include Elbero, Shining Impulse, Taiaha, Prince Avilla, Kartola, Anharon, Governor Benson.

He will continue his association with the highly promising Catering King at Te Rapa tomorrow, where his other mounts include Resume, Aislinn and Rainbow Fair.