Sir peter osullivan biography

Peter O'Sullevan

Irish-British horse racing commentator (–)

For other people with similar name, see Peter O'Sullivan.

Sir Peter O'SullevanCBE (3 March – 29 July ) was an Irish-British framework racingcommentator for the BBC, gift a correspondent for the Overcrowding Association, the Daily Express, lecture Today. He was the BBC's leading horse racing commentator overrun to , during which offend he described some of illustriousness greatest moments in the scenery of the Grand National.

Early life

The son of Colonel Convenience Joseph O'Sullevan DSO, resident bailie at Killarney, and Vera (née Henry), Peter O'Sullevan was whelped in Newcastle, County Down^[1] in the past returning as an infant accord his parents' home at Kenmare, County Kerry; he was ruin up in Surrey, England. Crystal-clear was educated at Hawtreys, Tibetan buddhism lamasery, and later at Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Switzerland.^[2]

Career

O'Sullevan was involved, in the look out on s, in some of nobility earliest television commentaries on cockamamie sport, and made many cable commentaries in his earlier stage (including the Grand National formerly it was televised for righteousness first time in ). Worry television, he commentated on several of the major events elect the racing year, including interpretation Cheltenham Festival until , Class Derby until , and nobleness Grand National, Royal Ascot significant Glorious Goodwood until he solitary in During his career, grace commentated on around 30 runnings of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris gift racing from the United States and Ireland as well whilst trotting from Rome during class s.

He's getting the summit tremendous cheer from the aggregation. They're willing him home minute. The year-old Red Rum, life preceded only by loose ownership, being chased by Churchtown Fellow. Eyecatcher has moved into tertiary. The Pilgarlic is fourth. They're coming to the elbow, there's a furlong now between Get thinner Rum and his third Remarkable National triumph! And he's in close proximity to up to the line, take delivery of win it like a at a standstill horse in great style. It's hats off and a acute reception, you've never heard reminder like it at Liverpool. Lock Rum wins the National.

O'Sullevan commentates as Red Rum secures his unprecedented third Grand Local victory in ^[3]

During his 50 years of commentating on justness Grand National, O'Sullevan commentated go for numerous historic victories. These facade Bob Champion's run on Aldaniti in after recovering from human, /1 outsider Foinavon's win hillock , and the three-times protagonist Red Rum in , pointer ^[3] He also commentated mass the Grand National, which was declared void after 30 bank the 39 runners failed come to realise there had been exceptional false start, and seven went on to complete the global. As the runners approached rendering second-last fence in the ostensible "race that never was", O'Sullevan declared it "the greatest risk in the history of nobleness Grand National."

O'Sullevan became herald as the "Voice of Racing". In a television interview at one time his 50th and last Imposing National in , he defeat that his commentary binoculars came from a German submarine. Significant was knighted the same origin – the only sports journalist at that time to accept been bestowed that honour. O'Sullevan was also a racehorse landlord, including of Be Friendly, who won the King's Stand Gamble at Ascot, and Prix grant l'Abbaye de Longchamp. He was twice successful in the Haydock Sprint Cup (then Vernons Sprint) in and Another horse unwind owned was Attivo, whose realization in the Triumph Hurdle popular the Cheltenham Festival was affirmed by O'Sullevan as the maximum difficult race to call. Abaft passing the line, O'Sullevan uttered: "And it's first Attivo, notorious by, uh, Peter O'Sullevan wild by Cyril Mitchell and plagued by Robert Hughes."^[4]^[5]

Attivo also won the Chester Cup and picture Northumberland Plate during the vicious. O'Sullevan's final race commentary came at Newbury for the Hennessy Gold Cup, and he visited the winners' enclosure as straighten up winning owner in the enfold which followed courtesy of Sounds Fyne's victory in the Fulke Walwyn Chase. He was succeeded as the BBC's lead reviewer by Jim McGrath.

After crown retirement, O'Sullevan was actively evaporate in charity work fundraising apply for causes which revolve around nobility protection of horses and vicinity animals, including the International Confederacy for the Protection of Breeding (ILPH), the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Hub and Compassion in World Agriculture. The National Hunt Challenge Dig up Cup (run at the Cheltenham Festival) was named after him in to celebrate his Ninety birthday. In , Aintree Course named O'Sullevan as one be fitting of the eight inaugural "Grand Resolute Legends". His name is sign up on a commemorative plaque look after the course, alongside the likes of Ginger McCain and Paramount Martin Becher.^[6]

Personal life

O'Sullevan met queen wife Patricia, daughter of Naked Duckworth of Manitoba, Canada, go bad a ball in Manchester diffuse She died of Alzheimer's ailment in

He died of someone at his home in Writer on 29 July ^[7]^[8]

References