Racing Legend Sir Peter O’Sullevan Dies and Richard Hughes Retires
It’s been a sad few days for racing as two legends of the sport say goodbye, one forever. Unrivalled racing commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan died last Wednesday whilst Champion Jockey Richard Hughes retired following the end of Glorious Goodwood on Saturday. Sad times but so many wonderful memories have been left behind.
Sir Peter O’Sullevan Dies Aged 97
The Voice of Racing himself has died at the age of 97. Sir Peter O’Sullevan was an icon, having commentated in his wonderful style and voice on 50 Grand Nationals and an estimated 14,000 races. He loved the sport and the sport loved him, as did almost everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.
O’Sullevan passed away at his London home following a long battle with cancer but at the age of 97 he had ridden a fine race. Born in County Kerry in Ireland way back in 1918 he was raised in England before receiving a fine education at Charterhouse School and subsequently a private Swiss boarding school.
He met his wife in 1947 and was married until her death in 2010 and was known for his love of animals and charity work in that and other areas. The first sports commentator to be knighted, O’Sullevan received his honour in 1997, the year he retired, having first received an OBE in 1977 and then a CBE in 1991 for his charitable work.
He worked first as a press journalist and also as a radio commentator before finding his home at the BBC in television racing commentary. His voice, described variously as like velvet, majestic and honeyed, was a major asset but, of course, it was what he said as much as how he said it that made him so popular.
He described some of the biggest races ever, from the Cheltenham Festival to the National and from the Derby to the likes of Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood. It was perhaps his calm under the intense and unique pressure of the National for which he was most famous, managing to describe a situation with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of clarity. He was commentating when Red Rum won each of his races, as well as the remarkable 100/1 success of Foinavon’ in 1967.
He understood the sport so well, both as a fan and also as an owner and his passing is a sad day for anyone connected with racing and, of course, for those that knew and loved him.
Flat Racing Champion Richard Hughes Retires
One cannot compare the retirement of a sporting champion to the death of a person but there is no doubt that many racing fans will have felt a tinge of sadness and perhaps even shed a tear with the retirement of Richard Hughes.
The three-time Champion Flat Jockey retired following Glorious Goodwood on Saturday, a festival at which he claimed his final win, fitting for a man who rode more than 170 winners at the track, although he was also sublime at Ascot.
At the age of 42 we think he went out at the right time and have little doubt he will build a fine career as a trainer. The man from Dublin has countless huge titles to his name but will now look forward to more time with his young family and more time on the golf course. More time eating too, no doubt, given the troubles of making the weight for a man of 5ft 10! We wish him all the best and will be following anything he trains with a keen eye.
