THE LEGEND’S TOP 10 MOMENTS IN HIS OWN WORDS
IN 2012 when the BBC lost its racing coverage, Sir Peter O’Sullevan reflected on the highlights of his career in a Sportsmail exclusive. As a tribute, we reprint his favourite memories. . .
1 RIBOT’S FIRST PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE IN 1955
THE first of his two Arc wins. Jockey Enrico Camici was deemed to have ridden an ill-judged race but he still won by three lengths. I was surrounded by spectators and had to climb on to a canvas roof above a parapet in the Longchamp stand to see. I remember fewer people looking right to see the horses than looking left to watch if the commentator fell off the roof.
2 SEA BIRD’S 1965 DERBY TRIUMPH AT EPSOM
HE was some horse. He won by two lengths but trainer Etienne Pollet told jockey Pat Glennon that he did not want Sea Bird to gallop over the covered Tarmac road at an intersection after the finishing line. Afterwards, Lester Piggott, who was second on subsequent Irish Derby winner Meadow Court, said: ‘He hasn’t asked him anything yet — he was afraid he would not be able to pull him up in time.’
3 THE FIRST OF ARKLE’S THREE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUPS IN 1964
ONE of the times I felt I made the right comment. As Arkle galloped five lengths clear of Mill House, who had won the previous year by 12 lengths, I said: ‘This is the champion. This is the best we have seen for a long time.’
4 BE FRIENDLY’S 1966 VERNONS SPRINT CUP WIN
VERY special, with a two-year-old sprinter I owned winning a new race of which I’d been one of the architects. I got the commentary about right, until it came to announcing ‘owned by’. I was really thrown. There was a pause before saying ‘Peter O’Sullevan’. It could have sounded so narcissistic but it was a fabulous day.
5 GRUNDY BEATING BUSTINO IN THE 1975 KING GEORGE AT ASCOT
BUSTINO had two pacemakers, one taking it up when the other shot its bolt to try to break Derby winner Grundy. When events unfold as you’ve envisaged, it helps you keep pace better. When I’ve played back commentaries in the hope of improving technique, it’s one I’ve been least ashamed of.
6 1977 RED RUM’S THIRD GRAND NATIONAL
‘THE 12-year-old Red Rum, being preceded only by loose horses, being chased by Churchtown Boy. It’s hats off and a tremendous reception, you’ve never heard one like it in Liverpool.’ One of my best-remembered commentaries as I fought a battle with the sound-man who was turning up the crowd noise. I was privileged to call a remarkable horse winning his third National.
7 BOB CHAMPION AND ALDANITI WIN THE 1981 GRAND NATIONAL
THERE is an emotional story at the end of nearly every National but this was one you’d lived with for a long time before the race. Jockey Bob Champion had recovered from cancer and the horse from injury. We are a family in racing and that shone through.
8 DAWN RUN’S 1986 CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP
‘AND the mare’s beginning to get up’ — words replayed countless times. She was making history as the only horse to win the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup and I’ve always been a big admirer of jockey Jonjo O’Neill, who had also conquered cancer and had broken virtually every bone in his body.
9 THE QUEEN’S HIGHCLERE WINS THE 1974 PRIX DE DIANE
I HAD a nightmare commentary point in the Chantilly stand but what memories! The Queen, looking so young and vibrant, a rapturous welcome and a great ride from Joe Mercer. Her Majesty did not seem to want the day to end and asked Joe and trainer Dick Hern to dine with her back at Windsor that evening.
10 ATTIVO WINS THE 1974 TRIUMPH HURDLE
A HORSE I bred and owned — he was as wide as two planks, had a parrot mouth and turned his feet out like Charlie Chaplin. But I always felt he had something and you’d never seen one jump like him and keep galloping. At the last hurdle, he lost concentration and jockey Robert Hughes went into the stratosphere, but, mercifully, Attivo was still there when he came down.