Magnier
received his formal education at Glenstal Abbey in County Limerick but had to
leave school at 15 to take charge of the family estate near Fermoy after his
father died.
Magnier
later moved to County Tipperary, where he helped transform Coolmore Stud into a
multi-million-euro international business. The business is headquartered in
County Tipperary where a number of other stud farms are part of an extensive
network which includes Longfield and Castlehyde studs. The operation also has
branches in Versailles, Kentucky and at Jerrys Plains, New South Wales,
Australia.
Magnier
began his association with Coolmore in partnership with his father-in-law and
champion racehorse trainer, Vincent O'Brien, and Vernon's Pools magnate, Robert
Sangster. They developed successful racing horses and breeding stock, mainly by
purchasing the progeny of the Canadian stallion Northern Dancer. Eventually,
Magnier came to head the operation. His racing empire is nowadays powered by
blue-blooded thoroughbreds trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien, plus many
others in the care of other trainers.
Champion
sires to have stood at Coolmore include Sadler's Wells who was leading sire (by
prizemoney won) in Great Britain and Ireland in 14 of the 15 years between 1990
and 2004, though his success in his later years was eclipsed by three other
Coolmore stallions, namely Danehill and his own sons Galileo and Montjeu. Other
notable Group 1 winners who have turned successfully to stud duties are
Danehill Dancer, Giant's Causeway, and Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral.
Less
successful at Coolmore was George Washington, winner of the 2,000 Guineas and
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in 2006. George Washington proved infertile, was
returned to racing, and suffered a fatal breakdown in the 2007 Breeders' Cup
Classic. George Washington was replaced at stud by another son of Danehill,
Holy Roman Emperor, removed from training at the start of his three-year-old
season. Eleven of the fifteen winners of The Derby between 1998 and 2012 were
sired by Coolmore stallions (High Estate, Fairy King, Grand Lodge, Sadler's
Wells (two), Danehill, Montjeu (four) and Galileo
Aidan
Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) is an Irish horse racing trainer.
Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near
Rosegreen in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud
associates. He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest horse racing
trainers of all time.
Early and
private life
Aidan
O'Brien was one of six children of Denis O'Brien (died 1 December 2008) and his
wife Stella (née Doyle). Denis was a farmer and small-scale horse trainer in
the townland of Killegney, near Poulpeasty, in County Wexford, where Aidan grew
up.
Aidan
O'Brien attended Donard National School, located less than a mile from his
parents' home. He subsequently attended secondary school at Good Counsel
College, New Ross, also located in County Wexford. O'Brien is a member of the
Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, meaning that he does not drink alcohol.
O'Brien
first started working professionally with horses at P.J. Finn's racing stables
at the Curragh, County Kildare, and then with Jim Bolger at Coolcullen, County
Carlow.
Aidan
O'Brien is married to Anne-Marie (née Crowley). Anne-Marie's father, Joe
Crowley trained horses at Piltown, County Kilkenny, where his tenure was
interrupted in quick succession by his daughter Anne-Marie (Champion National
Hunt Trainer during her brief time at the helm), his son-in-law Aidan O'Brien
(who took over from his wife in 1993 but moved on to Ballydoyle in 1996) and
then another daughter, Frances Crowley (who moved on to train on the Curragh
for some years). Joe then renewed his own training licence for some years
before retiring.
Aidan O'Brien at the 2012 Epsom Derby
Aidan
O’Brien was champion Irish National Hunt trainer in the 1993/4 season and went
on to lift the title for the next 5 consecutive seasons. His most successful
horse during this time was the famed Istabraq. In 1996 he was approached by
John Magnier to train at Ballydoyle. For a number of years he retained his
Piltown yard.
O'Brien
and Anne-Marie have four children, with Joseph, Sarah, Anastasia and Donnacha
all jockeys. Joseph became apprenticed to his father and rode his first winner
shortly after his sixteenth birthday, on Johann Zoffany at Leopardstown on 28
May 2009. In 2012 O'Brien and Joseph, 19, became the first
father-son/trainer-jockey combination to win The Derby, with Camelot. As of
2024, Aidan O'Brien is the most successful Epsom Derby trainer of all time with
10 wins. (...)
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