Jim O’Neill breeder of champion 2-year-old Luskin Star passed away on Tuesday night aged 88.
O’Neill lived at Cessnock with his wife Marea at the time of his death. He founded the successful family business O’Neill’s Tyres, which has many outlets in the Lower Hunter Valley and Newcastle.
In the early 1970’s O’Neill purchased a dairy farm at Luskintyre between Maitland and Singleton and proceeded to convert the property into a Thoroughbred Farm. He bred the super colt Luskin Star which was purchased by clients by the late great Newcastle trainer Max Lees. Luskin Star won thirteen of seventeen starts with three seconds and he was inducted into the Australian and Newcastle Hunter Hall Of Fame. He won the 2 Year-Old Group 1 Grand Slam, Golden Slipper, Sires Produce and Champagne Stakes.
O’Neill is survived by his wife Marea, five children, seventeen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.