The Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase returns

Sir Peter O’Sullevan was a horse racing commentator who widely became known as the ‘Voice Of Horse Racing’.

He was involved in some of the earliest televised sport commentaries in the 1940’s, and before that was a commentator on the radio.

O’Sullevan’s final race commentary before retiring came here at Newbury Racecourse for the 1997 Hennessy Gold Cup which is now known as the Coral Gold Cup. The winner was Suny Bay, ridden to victory by Graham Bradley and trained by Charlie Brooks. He visited the winners’ enclosure as a winning owner in the race which followed courtesy of Sounds Fyne’s victory in the Fulke Walwyn Chase.

The Coral Gold Cup Day takes places this Saturday 2 December, with the second race of the day being named the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase in honour of one of racing’s greats. Below, you can watch the last commentary he called before his retirement, and take a look at some of his best moments throughout the years. You might even recognise a few faces in their younger years who look back on Sir Peter’s sparkling career.

After his retirement, O’Sullevan was actively involved in charity work fundraising for causes which revolve around the protection of horses and farm animals, including the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH), the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre and Compassion in World Farming.