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Michael O’Sullivan was taken far too soon – but lost his life doing what he loved

LOVED. Talented. Liked. Young. 

As most of you will be aware by now, jockey Michael O’Sullivan passed over the weekend being all the above.

https://twitter.com/itvracing/status/1635636754760843272
Jockey celebrating a win at the Cheltenham Festival.
PA
Racing will remember Michael O’Sullivan as a supremely talented jockey – but also an incredibly likeable, smart and respected young man[/caption]

His loss will be felt by his family and friends forever. 

Racing fans will miss watching a lad who was bred for the game and had so much more to show.

Jockeys don’t become riders for our enjoyment. 

But as watchers and people who love this game we all appreciate the dangers involved.

No jockey is forced to ply their trade. But they do so knowing that any ride could result in a serious injury or, as in this case, worse.

Michael – who was remembered as a ‘beautiful person’ – fell at Thurles on February 6. A head trauma meant from that day he was in an induced coma in the intensive care unit at Cork University. 

He never regained consciousness.

It makes you wonder why anyone would become a jockey. Why take such risks?

“For me it’s the simplest of answers to any question – the horses themselves,” leading rider Sam Twiston-Davies told me.

“You get to meet so many horses. You like some. You hate some. You love some. You get every emotion you can imagine and when you find one that is very good there is no better feeling. It’s truly for me why I wanted to become a jockey.”

Nico de Boinville said similar, adding: “It’s the love of horses and probably being slightly mad.”

British champion Harry Cobden said: “Nothing can compare to the thrill of riding a winner – it overpowers all the undulations in our sport as a jockey.

“I grew up watching AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh on the telly, and from the age of nine it was all I ever wanted to be.”

Michael was a Cheltenham Festival hero, landing the 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Marine Nationale. 

Without doubt, he was a man who would have showed us much more of his skills in the years ahead. His career was just starting.

On the occasions I was lucky enough to interview Michael – including for ITV Racing after his emotional victory on Marine Nationale – he came across as the kind of guy you would always listen to. 

He was emotional. Here was a man who thought about his words, and articulated them with care.

Wee Charlie, the horse Michael came down from, had provided his rider with a fabulous win at Galway back in September of last year. 

In many ways they were good friends. Ultimately their final outing together ended in tragedy. 

But Michael was born to ride horses. It’s what he loved doing. And crikey he was good at it.

It’s clear when you read what Sam, Nico and Harry have said that Michael would not have wanted his life to have gone down any other route. 

He was living his dream – the dream of most jockeys.

It’s just gutting that at the age of 24 he has been taken far too soon. Everyone will miss him.

Elsewhere, former Grand National hero Noble Yeats might well be off for a little hunting, for all he’s not at Aintree this year.

It was about six weeks ago that trainer Emmet Mullins revealed Noble Yeats, the 2022 Aintree hero who was fourth in the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup, was being sent back to his owner Robert Waley-Cohen’s base.

The latter’s son, Sam, who rode Noble Yeats to National success, was at Ascot on Saturday and said: “Noble Yeats has got a few aches and pains but we are not thinking of retirement at this stage.

“Hopefully he will be back next season and he might do some hunting at some stage. We are still very hopeful he will be back on the track at some stage.”

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Love Island fans in disbelief after discovering what Chuggs calls his parents in All Stars Unseen episode

CHUGG Wallis is getting used to life outside of the Love Island villa, after being dumped last week.

But in an unaired clip from All Stars, the reality star, 26, was seen making a surprising confession about what he calls his parents.

Chuggs Wallis on Love Island: All Stars.
Rex
Chuggs Wallis revealed what he calls his parents[/caption]
Family portrait in front of floral display.
instagram/@chuggswallis
The reality star is very close to his parents – seen here with his brothers Austin and Miles[/caption]
Chuggs Wallis, Love Island: All Stars Series 2 Islander.
Rex
The star was recently dumped from Love Island All Stars[/caption]

Thanks to his parents, the reality star grew up in a £1.2m mansion in Surrey with his brothers Austin and Miles.

Now in a unseen clip from All Stars onto the Love Island Instagram account, Chuggs – real name Oliver Wallis – revealed what he calls his parents.

In a conversation with the boys, he said: “Yeah, I call them mummy and daddy.”

The other lads were shocked by this and started to laugh, with Sammy retorting; “I’d be thrown out of the house if I called my dad, ‘daddy’.”

Chuggs is very close to his family, and often posts pictures with them at their big country house.

JET SET LIFE

Thanks to his well off parents, Chuggs enjoys a jet set life which has seen him visit some of the most beautiful locations in the world.

He’s touched down in destinations including Canada, Barbados, Thailand, Dubai, South Africa, and Greece.

The rugby lad is also partial to cooler climes and has been spotted in a French ski resort in other snaps.

The star is one of three brothers and is seen posing for photos with siblings Austin and Miles alongside their parents.

Chuggs – who went to private school Reed’s – also has a love of expensive cars and can often be seen on Instagram behind the wheel of his fancy 4×4.

CHUGGS’ LOVE ISLAND JOURNEY

Over the years Chuggs has become part of the Love Island furniture.

Since his first stint on the show he has remained best pals with season 7 legends like Liam Reardon, Aaron Francis, Millie Court and Chloe Burrows.

Chuggs was the second islander to be evicted in 2021.

The Oxford Brookes graduate lost his place after newbie Rachel Finni decided to couple up with hunky labourer Brad McClelland instead.

Woman and rugby player posing for a photo.
instagram/@chuggswallis
The reality star admitted to calling his mum, ‘mummy’[/caption]
Man in swim trunks smiling on a beach.
Thanks to his parents, Chuggs enjoys a jet set life
Instagram/@chuggswallis

Taking his exit in good humour, he joked would go down in the history books as being the only Love Island contestant to only share a bed with men after he failed to couple-up with anyone

Sadly his second time in the villa also didn’t go well.

He made his return to Love Island last month as a bombshell alongside Samie Elish.

However, he failed to make any strong connection in the villa, and was dumped alongside Tina Stinnes.

Man in winter hockey jersey standing in snowy woods.
Instagram
The TV star often posts about his ski trips[/caption]
Man feeding kangaroos.
Instagram
Chuggs has travelled world – seen here in Australia[/caption]
Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/REX (12140062ay) Chuggs Wallis 'Love Island' TV show, Series 7, Islanders, UK - Jun 2021
The star first entered the Love Island villa in 2021

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