The Voice of Racing.
That’s what they called him. Sir Peter O’Sullevan was born in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland 1918. A son of Colonel he was brought up in Surrey, England, and educated at Hawtreys Charterhouse, a private preparatory school. Later he was educated in Switzerland, College Alpin International Beau Soleil.
O’Sullevan was known as the ‘Voice of Racing’ which is no surprise when you consider he started sports broadcasting in the 1940s and amazingly covered the Grand National at Aintree for fifty years.
It’s worth noting that the National wasn’t televised until 1960.
His role of honour included:
Commentary of the Cheltenham Festival until 1994 at the age of 76, and the Derby, Grand National, Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood at the age of 79.
He retired in 1997. The last race The Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.
To add to his career tally he commentated over 30 times on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
The Grand National is a race many know as the housewife’s favourite. I’m not sure if that went both for the race and O’Sullevan.
He witnessed so many moments including:
1967 – Foinavon defying the odds to win at 100/1.
1973, 1974 & 1977 – Red Rum victorious in winning three Grand Nationals (a record to this day).
1981 – When Bob Champion & Aldaniti beat the odds with Champion surviving cancer while Aldaniti struggled with lameness.
1993 – The Grand National that never took place because 30 of the 39 horses failed to realise there was a false start. The race was void. O’Sullevan declared: ‘It’s the greatest disaster in the history of the Grand National.’
O’Sullevan detailed that the binoculars he used for race commentaries came from a German submarine.
He was knighted Sir Peter O’Sullevan in 1997.
Over the years, he was also a racehorse owner. He won many races.
Be Friendly – King’s Stand Stakes & Prix de I’Abbaye de Longchamp, Haydock Sprint Cup.
Attivo – Triumph Hurdle (1974) (Imagine calling home your own winner. He said it was the most difficult race to call). Attivo went on to win the Chester Cup & Northumberland Plate.
In his personal life he was married to Patricia.
Sir Peter O’Sullevan passed away on the 29th July 2015 at the age of 97.