A Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey was heading ‘towards the pinnacle of his career’ when his life was cut prematurely short after he fell from a horse during a handicap chase in Tipperary last year, an inquest has heard.

Michael O’Sullivan of Currabower, Lombardstown, Co. Cork died at Cork University Hospital on February 16, 2025. He had suffered a serious last fence fall at Thurles Racecourse ten days earlier. Michael died just days short of his 25th birthday.

Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, carried out a postmortem on the deceased. She told his family at an inquest in Cork that he would have been ‘deeply comatose’ following the fall and ‘wouldn’t have known anything.’

Dr Bolster said that Michael died of a catastrophic brain injury complicated by swelling with cerebral infarction due to a horse riding accident. He had suffered multiple fractures of the skull in the fall.

Dr Bolster added that her findings were consistent with a fall from a horse. Cardiac first responder with the Order of Malta, William Sweeney, said that it was his duty on the day to cover the last fence of the race course.

In his Garda statement, Mr Sweeney recalled that he felt that ‘something seemed off’ on the day of the incident.

‘The horses were coming down the straight towards the last fence. I have a clear memory they were coming. I remember they were really pushing it, and recall saying, “there will be trouble here”.

‘The horses reached and cleared the fence. I saw two horses fall a distance away from the fence, and then I saw a third horse fall immediately after the fence. My focus was on the third horse.

‘The horse had fallen onto the rider, whom I now know to be Michael O’Sullivan, and until it was safely removed, he had been on top of him, kicking in panic.’

Mr Sweeney said that he took up position and secured Michael O’Sullivan’s head while the chief medical doctor carried out an assessment as they waited for a helicopter to arrive.

HSA inspector Justin Walsh prepared a report on the incident for the Coroner. He stated that no breaches of healthy and safety were identified.

Jennifer Walsh, Raceday Operations Manager with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) said the course had been fully inspected on the day of the race.

All of the appropriate veterinary checks were made. She said a thorough review of the incident was carried out by the IHRB. Horse owner and trainer Gerald O’Leary said that Wee Charlie, the seven-year-old horse, was a ‘straightforward sound horse with no vices’ whilst he described Michael as an ‘experienced rider’.

‘They [Wee Charlie and Michael] were a good team. I spoke to Michael on the phone before the race. He said: “We have a good chance.” I didn’t speak to him again.’

Jockey Seán Flanagan participated in the race in which Michael sustained fatal injuries. Seán fell off his own horse on the last jump of the race. He said that ‘a number of other horses and jockeys also fell’ with most falling independently. He spotted Michael O’Sullivan on the ground with his horse beside him.

Dr Jennifer Pugh, Chief Medical Office of the IHRB, said that a thorough review of the incident had revealed that Wee Charlie had become unbalanced leading to the fall.

A jury recorded a verdict of accidental death. Coroner Philip Comyn extended his sympathy to the family of the deceased following the death of the ‘up-and-coming’ jockey. He said that Michael had established himself as a rising star in the world of horse racing.

Solicitor Denis Linehan, addressed the Coroner’s court on behalf of the O’Sullivan family. He stressed that medics at the racecourse were ‘heroic in their efforts’ following the ‘unbelievable and terribly tragic accident.’

He paid tribute to Dr Jennifer Pugh for the ‘humane’ manner in which she had communicated with William and Bernie O’Sullivan following the death of their son.

Michael shot to public attention in 2023 when he won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham aboard Marine Nationale before going on to win the Fred Winter with Jazzy Matty.

Huge crowds attended his funeral at St John the Baptist Church in Glantane, Co. Cork, in February of last year. Since his death, Michael’s family has raised tens of thousands for charity Brú Columbanus, which offers free accommodation