Top New Zealand Sire O’Reilly, 21, Passes Away

New Zealand Horse of the Year and multiple champion sire O’Reilly (NZ) (Last Tycoon {Ire}–Courtza {NZ}, by Pompeii Court) died in his paddock Tuesday morning announced Waikato Stud. He was 21. 

“I have to say, I’ve had better years,” said Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick. 

A foal of 1993, the Waikato Stud Holdings-bred blossomed into a champion miler, sprinter and Horse of the Year in New Zealand during the 1996-97 season. Trained by Dave O’Sullivan, O’Reilly won his first four starts including the G1 Bayer Classic as a 3-year-old and the G1 Telegraph H. at four. The dark bay also finished second in the G1 Cadbury Australian Guineas before suffering a career ending injury in the G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington. Retired with four wins from six starts and NZ$268,000 in earnings, O’Reilly took up stallion duties at the Chittick’s Waikato Stud. Produced by Australian highweight 3-year-old filly Courtza, O’Reilly moved from strength to strength in his new career. 

Added Chittick, “All good things must come to an end. O’Reilly has been wholly and solely responsible for the go forward and momentum of Waikato Stud as we know it today. We could not be more proud of his achievements or more thankful for his legacy.” 

O’Reilly has won the New Zealand sire championship four times to date in 2007-08, 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14; as well as leading the combined Australian and New Zealand list each of those years, but 2011-12. Champion sire in Hong Kong in 2007-2008, O’Reilly has sired 16 winners at the highest level including New Zealand champions Silent Achiever (NZ), Alamosa (NZ), The Jewel (NZ), Final Destination (NZ) and Shamrocker (NZ) among others. To date, O’Reilly has sired 77 stakes winners with earnings over NZ$94,000,000 and sits fourth on the New Zealand sire list. 

“He has certainly been a breed shaper and we are indeed fortunate to be able to continue his amazing influence at the stud through his daughters and with his exciting sire-son Sacred Falls in 2015,” said Chittick. “He has provided us and many people with some terrific highlights and will continue to do so in the future.”