What makes that figure worth paying attention to is the context. Last year he was winning at 9% — nearly 1 in every 11 rides — so there has been a noticeable dip this season. Whether that reflects a run of bad luck, tougher competition, or simply the unpredictable nature of riding through a first full campaign is hard to say, but it's a number he'll be keen to push back up.
The partnership with trainer Gillian Scott hasn't produced a winner yet — 0 from 12 rides together — which is a tough run for both of them. Twelve rides is enough to notice, though not enough to draw firm conclusions. Racing partnerships take time to click, and plenty of successful combinations have had slow starts.
The one genuinely encouraging signal in his numbers is how he performs on wet or muddy ground. He's won 1 from 9 races in those conditions — around 1 in every 9 rides — which at 11% is comfortably above his overall average. For a jockey still building a record, having even one area where the numbers are clearly stronger is something to build on.
At 3% overall, O'Sullivan is in the grind that every young rider goes through — plenty of rides, not many winners, learning on the job. The drop from last year's form makes this a season to watch closely. If he can arrest that slide and find his way back toward that earlier win rate, the foundations are there for a more productive career ahead.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk | 27 | 0 | 0% |
| Cork | 10 | 0 | 0% |
| Gowran Park | 9 | 0 | 0% |
| The Curragh | 8 | 0 | 0% |
| Limerick | 7 | 1 | 14.3% |
| Killarney | 7 | 1 | 14.3% |
| Leopardstown | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Navan | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Naas | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Tipperary | 4 | 1 | 25% |
| Roscommon | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Fairyhouse | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Tramore | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Galway | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Listowel | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Bellewstown | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Down Royal | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Sligo | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Ballinrobe | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Thurles | 1 | 0 | 0% |