The Waikato Stud sire has for the second time in his celebrated career swept
all three stallion categories for the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards.In the 2012-13 season, O'Reilly claimed the Dewar Stallion Trophy for leading New Zealand sire based on Australasian earnings, the Grosvenor Award for New Zealand earnings and Centaine Award for global earnings - and he has repeated the dose for the second straight year.
O'Reilly's progeny earned more than $2.35 million in New Zealand for the season, eclipsing Darci Brahma by $650,000 to take out his fourth Grosvenor Award, his third straight to go with his earlier title in 2007-08.
The rising 21-year-old Last Tycoon stallion easily claimed the other two titles at the expense of High Chaparral, finishing $3 million in front to secure his third Dewar Award after 2007-08 and last season and more than $5.7 million clear in the Centaine Award, again his third crown after 2008-09 and last season.
Mark Chittick, studmaster at Waikato Stud, described O'Reilly's season as "bloody incredible" and said he was chuffed for the stallion that he could do the double-treble.
"He's just had a massive year," Chittick said. "It was huge to do it last year but to do it this year with almost $14 million in stakes - and that the next closest was nearly $6 million behind - we're very proud of him.
"It's just been such a tremendous season because he's finished second on the broodmares' list as well, so that's just a hint of what's still to come. It's bloody incredible really and that's all down to O'Reilly. I just wish he could live and breed forever."
O'Reilly finished $170,000 behind perennial champion stallion Zabeel on the broodmares' tally and ninth on the Australian general sires' list.
It was Zabeel's third straight broodmares' title and the Cambridge Stud sire again claimed the Australian broodmares' title, some $3.5 million clear of Danehill.
Undoubtedly O'Reilly's star performer this year has been Silent Achiever, who claimed three Group One wins this season, though his stallion son Sacred Falls was again a high-flyer, landing his second straight win in the Gr. 1 Doncaster Mile. Meanwhile, O'Reilly's Group One winning juvenile O'Marilyn is likely to prove a force to be reckoned with in the 2014/15 season. - NZ Racing Desk
