The death of jockey Michael O’Sullivan due to head injuries sustained in a fall at Thurles last month has been attributed to the inherent risks of National Hunt racing in a report released by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.
However, as part of the recommendations contained in the IHRB’s summary report on the tragic incident, a prioritisation of a watering system at Thurles to ensure ground consistency is urged.
O’Sullivan was injured in a fall from Wee Charlie at the final fence of a handicap chase on February 6th. He was airlifted to Cork University Hospital and died 10 days later.
The 24-year-old rider from Co Cork was a double-Cheltenham Festival winning jockey in 2023. In remarkable scenes, both of those winners – Marine Nationale and Matty Jazzy – won again on the same day at this year’s festival earlier this month.
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O’Sullivan’s death rocked racing and resulted in a review of the incident being carried out by the IHRB, which released its findings on Tuesday evening.
The review, the IHRB said, was informed by video analysis, eyewitness accounts, and post-incident inspections. It found no evidence of human error, equipment failure, or environmental factors as the primary cause.
It said “the incident was attributed to the inherent risks of National Hunt racing, with a series of independent falls triggering an unavoidable chain reaction.”
Five horses and jockeys were involved in a chain reaction of falls at the final fence in the race. The report reveals that the horse, Wee Charlie, was euthanised four days after the fall due to a leg injury sustained in the incident.
The IHRB report said the response from medical, veterinary, and logistical teams was swift and professional, adhering to the regulator’s protocols and best practices.
Although no single preventable factor was identified, the IHRB has put forward several recommendations to further safeguard the sport.
As well as a watering system at Thurles, a review of the track configurations and conditions are recommended. Ground conditions at Thurles on the day of O’Sullivan’s fall were officially “good.”
Enhanced training to expand racecourse safety with “scenario-based drills for multi-horse incidents and advanced medical training for severe head injuries and emergency air service co-ordination” was recommended in the report, as was data monitoring and the exploration of technology to assess horse suitability to race.
The report proposed real-time tracking of fall rates to identify trends and address risks proactively, and mandated postmortems for racing-related horse fatalities.
The IHRB’s chief executive, Darragh O’Loughlin said: “This tragic incident has deeply affected the horse racing community, and our thoughts remain with Michael O’Sullivan’s family and friends, his colleagues and all those touched by his loss.
“The professionalism of our emergency teams was exemplary, but we are committed to learning from this event. These recommendations reflect our resolve to enhance safety while preserving the integrity of the sport we regulate.”
O’Loughlin added: “The IHRB noted the improved safety record at Thurles Racecourse since its 2020 reconfiguration, which reduced its fall rate from 9.9 per cent to 3.8 per cent. However, this incident underscores the unpredictable nature of racing and the need for continuous improvement.
“The IHRB will now work with stakeholders – including medical and veterinary professionals, racecourses, jockeys and trainers – to implement these recommendations, ensuring the wellbeing of all participants remains paramount.
“The IHRB maintains a relentless focus on safety to minimise the risk of racing related injury or harm to all participants. We owe it to Michael, to our riders, and to everyone in our sport to keep pushing forward. This report is a step toward that goal.”
