Spy: Time for Matty McLean’s husband, Ryan Teece, to star

Matty McLean with husband Ryan Teece. Photo / Supplied

Ryan Teece is used to being husband Matty McLean’s plus-one at star-studded events but the real estate agent will have a starring role this horse-racing season.

He has been unveiled as an ambassador of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, along with Caitlin O’Sullivan, the daughter of racing royalty.

The pair will be regulars schmoozing crowds at races at the ATR’s temporary home at Pukekohe Park, for the first half of the coming season. And they, like all Auckland racing lovers, are excited about the return of the club to its home at Ellerslie where its new track is due to be finished in the new year, with hopes pinned on the Karaka Millions being the first big meet.

Teece, 31, credits his love of horses to his parents as he got his first pony at 10 and that passion turned into a career.

Ryan Teece and Caitlan O'Sullivan. Photo / Supplied

He started as a photographer, for horse events before working for an equestrian magazine. He worked with horses in Australia and the UK and says he built lifelong friendships all over the world. During their European honeymoon in June, Teece and broadcaster McLean took in some sophisticated horse jumping in St Tropez, France.

Through his horse work, he has become a strong advocate for thoroughbreds becoming sport horses once they’ve completed their career on the track.

His current horse, Star Tsar, was a $750,000 yearling at a previous Karaka sale and won the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship Final in 2021 at Ellerslie.

“Because of my love of horses, Matt has learned a lot about horses and seen life post-racing too,” Teece tells Spy.

“Star Tsar is now proving himself as a really good horse off the track and will undoubtedly have lots of success.”

“The TAB Karaka Millions is always a highlight for me, the atmosphere is unrivalled and the twilight setting adds a lot of glamour,” says O’Sullivan.

Teece says the TAB Karaka Millions is a hard one to top.

“There is so much emotion poured into it by the owners, trainers, and grooms - and watching that all come to fruition is pretty special.

“I love going to the sales too, so it can be really cool to pick some yearlings and then follow their progress and hopefully see them run at the TAB Karaka Millions.”

Meanwhile, racing goes back four generations in O’Sullivan’s family. Her parents are legendary jockey Lance and Waikato horse-breeding blueblood Bridgette, who was once an ambassador of the club.

O’Sullivan, 27, grew up on and around the course with sister Georgia and the pair have cemented themselves as the “it” girls of New Zealand’s premier racing club.

O’Sullivan also has a marketing role with NZ Thoroughbred Racing.

“Some of my favourite memories stem from a day spent trackside at Ellerslie. In particular, watching Wexford Stables win the New Zealand Derby in 2021 and 2022,” she tells Spy.

Earlier this year O’Sullivan became engaged to professional footballer Tom Doyle, who will be on course with his fiancée to check out a couple of horses in which he has shares that will be hitting the track this season.