100 Racing greats: The final verdict: Vincent O'Brien: The greatest of all time; `I can't believe it - I am really touched, especially by the fact that it was a readers' phone vote. It's like winning a couple of Derbys'.
Byline: john randallFull name: Michael Vincent O'Brien
Born: Churchtown, County Cork, April 9, 1917
Father: Dan O'Brien (trainer and breeder)
Assistant to: Fred Clarke, Dan O'Brien
Stables: Clashgannife House, Churchtown 1943-51; Ballydoyle House, Cashel 1951-94
First winner: Oversway, Limerick Junction, May 20, 1943, ridden by Noel Sleator
First big winners: Drybob, 1944 Irish Cambridgeshire
(dead-heat), Good Days, 1944 Irish Cesarewitch
Champion Hurdle winner: Hatton's Grace (1949, 50, 51)
Cheltenham Gold Cup winners: Cottage Rake (1948, 49, 50), Knock Hard (1953)
Grand National winners: Early Mist (1953), Royal Tan (1954), Quare Times (1955)
Triple Crown winner: Nijinsky (1970)
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners: Ballymoss (1958), Nijinsky (1970), The Minstrel (1977)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winners: Ballymoss (1958), Alleged (1977, 1978)
Breeders' Cup winner: Royal Academy (1990 Mile)
British Classic winners: Ballymoss (1957 St Leger), Larkspur (1962 Derby), Long Look (1965 Oaks), Glad Rags (1966 1,000 Guineas), Valoris (1966 Oaks), Sir Ivor (1968 2,000 Guineas, Derby), Nijinsky (1970 2,000 Guineas, Derby, St Leger), Roberto (1972 Derby), Boucher (1972 St Leger), The Minstrel (1977 Derby), Golden Fleece (1982 Derby), Lomond (1983 2,000 Guineas), El Gran Senor (1984 2,000 Guineas)
Irish Classic winners: Chamier (1953 Derby), Ballymoss (1957 Derby), El Toro (1959 2,000 Guineas), Barclay (1959 St Leger), Ancaster (1964 Oaks), Aurabella (1965 Oaks), Valoris (1966 1,000 Guineas), White Gloves (1966 St Leger), Gaia (1969 Oaks), Reindeer (1969 St Leger), Nijinsky (1970 Derby), Caucasus (1975 St Leger), Meneval (1976 St Leger), Lady Capulet (1977 1,000 Guineas), The Minstrel (1977 Derby), Transworld (1977 St Leger), Jaazeiro (1978 2,000 Guineas), Godetia (1979 1,000 Guineas, Oaks), Gonzales (1980 St Leger), Kings Lake (1981 2,000 Guineas), Sadler's Wells (1984 2,000 Guineas), El Gran Senor (1984 Derby), Law Society (1985 Derby), Leading Counsel (1985 St Leger), Prince Of Birds (1988 2,000 Guineas), Dark Lomond (1988 St Leger)
French Classic winner: Caerleon (1983 Prix du Jockey-Club)
Ascot Gold Cup winner: Gladness (1958)
Champion sprinters: Thatch (1973), Saritamer (1974), Solinus (1978), Thatching (1979)
Free Handicap leaders: Nijinsky (1969), Apalachee (1973), Try My Best (1977), Monteverdi (1979), Storm Bird (1980), El Gran Senor (1983)
Last Group 1 winner: Fatherland (1992 National Stakes)
Last winner in Britain: College Chapel (1993 Cork and Orrery Stakes)
Last Group winner: College Chapel (1994 Greenlands Stakes)
Last winner and runner: Mysterious Ways, Boland Stakes (Listed) The Curragh, September 17, 1994
Main jockeys: Pat Glennon 1962-63, Jack Purtell 1964-65, Lester Piggott 1966-80, Pat Eddery 1981-86, Cash Asmussen 1987, John Reid 1988-90
Champion trainer in Britain: 1952/53, 53/54 (jumps); 1966, 77 (Flat)
Champion trainer in Ireland: 13 times (1959, 69, 70, 72, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 87, 88)
Leading trainer in Ireland (number of wins): 1962, 69
Most wins in an Irish season: 511/2 in 1950 and 1959 (Flat and jumps combined)
Most wins in a British season: 18 in 1977 (including 15 Pattern wins)
Compiled by JOHN RANDALL
CAPTION(S):
Jacqueline and Vincent O'Brien together at Ballydoyle in 1994: they have followed the 100 Racing Greats series with huge interest on the internet at their winter retreat in Australia
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| Title Annotation: | Sports |
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| Publication: | The Racing Post (London, England) |
| Date: | Feb 14, 2003 |
| Words: | 525 |
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