Maxine O’Sullivan retires in style after leading Dream On Baby to Tramore triumph

Maxine O’Sullivan upstaged her cousin Alan when announcing her retirement after steering 7-4 shot Dream On Baby to victory in the Conor Lannen Country Store Ladies Maiden on day one of Tramore’s four-day August festival.

Alan O’Sullivan had earlier recorded a fine double before Maxine, who famously enjoyed Cheltenham Festival success with It Came To Pass, trained by her father Eugene in 2020, ended her career in style as Dream On Baby, trained by her partner Emmet Mullins, bolted up in the finale.

“It was a great ride from Maxine and a brilliant evening,” Mullins said before O’Sullivan announced her retirement.

The talented Lombardstown amateur jockey announced her retirement from the saddle, after she landed the concluding Conor Lannen Country Store Ladies Maiden at the seaside venue, on the opening night of their summer festival.

Maxine was one of the leading lady riders on the point-to-point circuit for many years. 

She also made her mark on the racecourse in no uncertain fashion. 

Undoubtedly, her career highlight came at the Cheltenham festival in 2020 with a superb success aboard It Came To Pass, for her father Eugene,on a never to be forgotten afternoon in the Cotswolds.

Maxine rode her 45th and her final rules winner appropriately for Emmet Mullins on Dream On Baby. 

The 7/4 second favourite recorded a facile success to win by a dozen lengths from Splashing Out.

Cheltenham success was very much embedded in Maxine's DNA with Lovely Citizen famously thwarting the great Scottish Mare Dun Gay Lass in the 1991 Foxhunters Chase. 

He was also trained by her father Eugene and ridden by her Uncle William.

I was in Prestbury Park on that memorable afternoon in 2020 as Maxine and her father Eugene combined for an iconic success. 

It Came To Pass went into that race as a 66/1 outsider having pulled up on his previous start at Kilfeacle, but the ground had been really heavy that day and he'd lost two of his shoes. 

So, you could have drawn a line through that line of form. 

Eugene was quietly confident as he legged up Maxine and she duly produced a text book ride as the ten-year-old gelding stretched clear for a ten length victory from the Willie Mullins trained 11/4 favourite Billaway. 

The only downside that day for Maxine and Eugene was the rather surreal feeling created by the Coronavirus outbreak and the rigid lockdown restrictions that had just come into effect back home. 

Eugene was quick to acknowledge Maxine’s contribution to that memorable Cheltenham success. 

“Maxine did an awful lot of work on him at home, and she gave him a savage ride. All the big guns were queuing up behind but Maxine knew what she had, she rode him accordingly and I'm very proud of her."

Pride and unbridled joy was very much the underlying theme and emotion in the winners enclosure at Cheltenham that afternoon Jim Culloty had trained the horse three years earlier in the same race and fell at the third-last when travelling ominously well. 

Maxine spoke afterwards that day of the significance of that incredible victory.

“This is our Gold Cup and it just means so much. I will remember this day forever."

Maxine’s first point-to-point winner came on The Merry Mason for her father Eugene, at Knockanard in February 2008. 

Maxine was crowned Ladies Point to Point Champion for the first time two years later, sharing that accolade with Liz Lalor. 

She won the title outright for the first time in 2014. 

Maxine’s first racecourse victory came aboard the classy Rathvinden for Ian Ferguson in a Downpatrick bumper in June 2013. 

Maxine beat Sam Da Vinci that day up North,the runner up partnered by none other than Rachel Blackmore. 

Maxine was always a terrific judge of pace through a contest. 

In an era where horses tend to be ridden prominently, she was undoubtedly one of the very best at switching a horse off and delivering late invariably to great effect.