Aidan O’Brien Enters The Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame

Aidan O’Brien secures his place as the fourth trainer inducted into the prestigious Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame, joining the esteemed ranks alongside Sir Michael Stoute, Sir Henry Cecil, and his predecessor at Ballydoyle, Vincent O’Brien.

Since his inaugural victory at Tralee in June 1993 at the tender age of 23, and for the past 31 years O’Brien has continually pushed boundaries and achieved remarkable milestones and broke neumerous records

The recognition of O’Brien’s contributions will be celebrated with a medal presentation on 2000 Guineas day at Newmarket this Saturday, where he anticipates saddling the odds-on favorite, City Of Troy. Reflecting on this honor, O’Brien expressed gratitude, stating, “It is incredible, and a privilege for us, as it is something we would never have expected.” He further acknowledged the privilege of working with exceptional people and horses throughout his career.

O’Brien’s track record is exemplary, notably training Istabraq to victory in three Champion Hurdles before transitioning his focus to the Flat. His dominance extends across prestigious races, with an impressive tally of 10 wins in the 2000 Guineas, nine in the Derby, 10 in the Oaks, and seven in the 1000 Guineas. In 2017, he achieved a remarkable feat, training 28 Group/Grade 1 winners in a single calendar year, surpassing the previous record of 25. Additionally, O’Brien holds the record for the most career wins at Royal Ascot, concluding last year’s meeting with an impressive 85 victories.

Among his standout moments, O’Brien fondly recalls Galileo’s historic Derby win, marking both his and Sadler’s Wells’ first victory in the prestigious race. He reflects, “To win a Derby was something out of this world, and it is something we thought would never happen. That will be a day that we will remember for a long time.”