Aidan O’Brien was the Champion Amateur Jockey of 1993/94, the same season in which he trained his first winner, on his first day as a licensed Trainer.
In 1996, he would become Ireland’s youngest ever Champion Trainer, a title he has now held continuously since 1998. In 2001, he became the youngest ever Champion British Trainer, and the first overseas holder of the title since, well, since one Dr. M.V. O’Brien. You may be beginning to spot a pattern here. Under the quiet gaze of the Master of Ballydoyle today, Champions learn their craft.
The world’s best young sire, Giant’s Causeway, is just one of a string of exceptional talents that have blossomed on his watch, and then made their way through the European and US Classics to Coolmore farms in Ireland, the US and the Hunter Valley in Australia. He is still a young man, and this table tells quite a tale. Watch this space.
Ireland:
Derby (6): Desert King, Galileo, High Chaparral, Dylan Thomas, Soldier Of Fortune, Frozen Fire 2000 Guineas (5): Black Minnaloushe, Desert King, Saffron Walden, Rock of Gibraltar, Henrythenavigator. 1000 Guineas (4): Imagine, Classic Park, Yesterday, Halfway To Heaven. Champion Stakes (5): Giant’s Causeway, High Chaparral, Oratorio, Dylan Thomas (x 2). Phoenix Stakes (9): Johannesburg, One Cool Cat, Fasliyev, Spartacus, Minardi, Lavery, George Washington, Holy Roman Emperor, Mastercraftsman National Stakes (7): Desert King, Beckett, King of Kings, One Cool Cat, Hawk Wing, George Washington, Mastercraftsman. Tattersalls Gold Cup (3): Black Sam Bellamy, Powerscourt, Duke Of Marmalade. Moyglare Stakes (4): Quarter Moon, Necklace, Sequoyah, Rumplestiltskin. Oaks (3): Alexandrova, Peeping Fawn, Moonstone. Pretty Polly Stakes (1):Peeping Fawn.St Leger (2):Yeats, Septimus.
France:
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1): Dylan Thomas.French 2000 Guineas (3): Landseer, Aussie Rules, Astronomer Royal. French 1000 Guineas: Rose Gypsy Prix Lupin: Ciro Prix de la Salamandre: Giant’s Causeway Prix Morny (3): Johannesburg, Fasliyev, Orpen Prix Maurice de Gheest: King Charlemagne Prix du Moulin: Rock of Gibraltar Grand Criterium (6): Hold That Tiger, Rock of Gibraltar, Second Empire, Ciro, Horatio Nelson, Holy Roman Emperor. Grand Prix de Paris: Scorpion Prix Marcel Boussac: Rumplestiltskin Criterium de Saint Cloud (2): Ballingarry, Alberto Giacometti Prix Ganay (2):Dylan Thomas, Duke Of Marmalade.
Italy:
Gran Criterium (2): Spartacus, Sholokhov Gran Premio del Jockey Club: Black Sam Bellamy
Aidan O'Brien
North America:
Breeders' Cup Turf (2): High Chaparral x 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile: Johannesburg Keeneland Turf Mile (2): Landseer, Aussie Rules Secretariat Stakes: Ciro Canadian International: Ballingarry Arlington Million: Powerscourt
England:
Derby (2): Galileo, High Chaparral 2000 Guineas (5): King of Kings, Rock of Gibraltar, Footstepsinthesand, George Washington, Henrythenavigator. 1000 Guineas: Virginia Waters. Oaks (3): Shahtoush, Imagine, Alexandrova. St Leger (3): Milan, Brian Boru, Scorpion July Cup (2): Stravinsky, Mozart King George V1, Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (3): Galileo, Dylan Thomas, Duke Of Marmalade St James’s Palace Stakes (5): Black Minnaloushe, Giant’s Causeway, Rock of Gibraltar, Excellent Art, Henrythenavigator Racing Post Trophy (4): Saratoga Springs, Brian Boru, High Chaparral, Aristotle Dewhurst Stakes: Rock of Gibraltar Sussex Stakes (3): Rock of Gibraltar, Giant’s Causeway, Henrythenavigator. Eclipse Stakes (4): Hawk Wing, Giant’s Causeway, Oratorio, Mount Nelson. Prince of Wales's Stakes (1): Duke Of Marmalade. Juddmonte International (2): Giant’s Causeway, Duke of Marmalade. Middle Park Stakes (3): Johannesburg, Minardi, Ad Valorem. Nunthorpe Stakes (2): Stravinsky, Mozart. Lockinge Stakes (1): Hawk Wing Coronation Stakes (1) : Sophisticat. Queen Anne Stakes (2): Ad Valorem, Haradasun. Coronation Cup (3): Yeats, Scorpion, Soldier Of Fortune Ascot Gold Cup (3): Yeats x 3 Nassau Stakes (2): Peeping Fawn, Halfway To Heaven Yorkshire Oaks (2): Alexandrova, Peeping Fawn Fillies' Mile (1): Listen