A family passion drives Sean to reach great heights

Emerging young Victorian driver Sean O’Sullivan is bred to be a star.

Three generations of success in the sport he loves has fuelled him to build on the stunning role his family has played in harness racing.

From his grandfather, Bill, who finished second in a Harold Park premiership, to his father, the great Jim, a two-time Australian premier trainer and 1987 Inter Dominion and NZ Cup winner, to siblings and successful drivers Tracey and Shannon.

“It’s no wonder I love it, hey,” 23-year-old O’Sullivan said. “They’re all inspirational to me in their own way, especially Dad for all the great races and top horses he had back in the 1980s and ‘90s. They were before my time, but I’ve heard all about them and seen the replays.

“Winning the Inter Dominion and NZ Cup, both against the Kiwis over there (Christchurch) with My Lightning Blue is incredible. It’s given me something to aspire to, it would be the ultimate.

“Tracey was a really successful driver in her time and Shannon’s had a lot of success, too.”

Shannon, 25, who has driven 149 winners, is on an extended working holiday in Canada, but will be tuning-in when Sean does what she did 12 months ago, and tackles Victoria’s emerging drivers in the Young Guns series at Melton on New Year’s Eve.

Shannon’s best results were two third placings in the heats of the Young Guns last year, something Sean wants to trump.

“Haha, I bet he does. Sean and I love a bit of sibling rivalry,” Shannon said. “That aside, I’m so proud of him. Sean’s really aimed at getting into this series all year and now he’s made it, he’s certainly good enough to win it with the right drives and luck.

“I always say, when people ask, that Sean’s a better driver than me. He’s knocked it out of the park this season. I’ll be cheering him on whatever time of day it is over here.”

O’Sullivan, who cut his teeth like so many other youngsters in pony trotting races, waited 20 races to land his first official winner in 2021 aboard Really Under Fire, a pacer he owned and was trained by his father.

It was a slow grind early with five wins in 2021, seven in 2022 and 13 last year.

“I set myself a target of 50 wins this year and really wanted to make the Young Guns series,” he said. “I just made the series and it was touch-and-go for those last couple of spots for a while. I’ll fall just a few short of the 50 wins (42 wins at the time of writing this).”

Driving is O’Sullivan’s passion, but while he builds opportunities, he supplements his income working part time at Garrards Horse and Hound (horse supplies), who sponsor the Young Guns series.

His talent also extends to race calling.

“Yes, I call the trials at Maryborough most Sundays,” he said. “I love it.

“But training and driving is what I wanted to do. The dream is to work a team of 25 nice horses and chase those big races Dad won.”

The bar is set high with Jim O’Sullivan having trained and driven more than 2000 winners and trained superstars like My Lightning Blue, Quite Famous, who won 45 races including 22 Cups,  Margaret Shannon and Our Brenray. He also drove Yankee Loch to win the 1991 Inter Dominion trotting final.

“Dad’s been such a great support and obviously gives me something to aim at,” Sean said.

Such is the depth of the Young Guns series, Australia’s runaway premier driver James Herbertson heads the 10-driver line-up.

Defending champion Ryan Sanderson, who recently drove in the Inter Dominion pacing final returns, while the in-form Ewa Justice is another key contender.