After working on the race track for 45 years, legendary racing clerk and jockey Hugh O’Sullivan is saying goodbye.
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O’Sullivan spent 30 of the 45 years as a well-renowned and respected jockey who won many races – most notably in the steeplechase, where horses have to jump over barriers.
He said one of the many highlights during his days as a jockey was he got to ride at Flemington.
“There are a few highlights as a jockey. I rode a couple of winners at Great Western but … I rode in a steeplechase called the Crisp at Flemington with a horse called Roger And Out,” he said.
“I also won the Glamis at Flemington on a horse called Elanora Girl and they were certainly highlights of my riding career, riding magnificent jumping horses.”
When Flemington scrapped the steeplechase soon after O’Sullivan retired from racing, he said it was a sad day for that code.
“I think they always had jumping races at Flemington until recently,” he said.
“I was a bit sad to see them stop jumping races at Flemington.”
After he retired from racing in 2003, he took up work as a racing clerk which included races in Ararat, Great Western and Murtoa and is no stranger to the area as he has lived in Stawell.
It was a career that lasted 15 years and until recently clerked his last race.
O’Sullivan last race as clerk was on January 28 where he clerked at the Stawell trots.
“I retired from race riding and it was an opportunity to stay involved in the industry,” he said.
“I just enjoy riding the horses and being part of the racing scene in the local area. As a clerk of the course, we have to try to help keep (horses and jockeys) safe and get them around to the start.”
O’Sullivan who is from said one of the race meetings he had frequented was Great Western.
“I have been doing Ararat, Stawell and Great Western and Murtoa for a while,” he said.
“I am not sure how long I have been doing Great Western. It took a little bit to get into it, but it starts off as a couple of meetings and then it builds a little bit.”
O’Sullivan said being a clerk, he didn’t have much time to watch the races because they are constantly looking out.
“I am concentrating on whether the horses are behaving themselves and the jockeys are still on board and I leave a race meeting and I couldn’t tell you all the winners,” he said.
“If a horse gets away, that gets a bit exciting for a while, trying to catch them.
“The last horse I caught was at Edenhope.
“A horse broke out at the starting stalls before the race and I had to get along side it and catch it.
“We were going quite quick when I caught it.”