RIP Michael O'Brien

granger

granger

Senior Jockey
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Nov 3, 2005
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Moscow Flyer Stables
FORMER trainer Michael O'Brien has died after a long illness. He was 68.
Originally from Newcastle, Co Dublin, O'Brien established himself as one of the top jump jockeys in America before suffering a serious fall that left him confined to a wheelchair.

He returned to Ireland and took out his trainer's licence in 1978, setting up in Rathbride on the Curragh. Bright Highway was his first big-race performer, winning both the Mackeson Gold Cup (now the Paddy Power Gold Cup) and the Hennessy Gold Cup in 1980. In 1982, King Spruce gave him the first of his three wins in the Irish Grand National and Sean Ogue landed the Powers Gold Cup 24 hours later.

In 1987, he relocated to Newlands, just outside Naas. Vanton (1992) and Glebe Lad (1999) were his other Irish Grand National winners, while both Shawiya (1993 Triumph Hurdle) and Kadoun (2006 Pertemps Final) won at the Cheltenham Festival. He also won Grade 1s with In Compliance, Knife Edge, Shaihar and Forget The Past, while Essex was a great servant, winning big prizes over hurdles and on the flat.
He retired in November 2009, handing over the licence to his son-in-law Denis Cullen and daughter Annemarie. His funeral details will be posted on theirishfield.ie website as soon as they are known.
 
In a wheelie since 1974 - he has had to have had some guts to get past the awfulness of his situation when such a young man, keep a family together, and to train such super horses to such a high standard. Big, big respect to him - no age, really, to be gone (and just before Christmas!). God bless.
 
I have two very distinct memories of horses trained by Michael O'Brien.

The first is Forget The Past, who - thanks to back-to-back weekend wins in the Red Mills and Bobbyjo Chases in February 2006 - helped me and my cohort to a TTF monthly win.

The second was Senanjar, who won a bumper and a novice hurdle in 98/99. He did so in about as good a fashion as any horse has done since, but he never made it back to the track after that second outing. Only Monsignor outweighs him in the "Novice Chasers I Regret I Never Saw" stakes.

RIP MJPOB.
 
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Michael Clower's book "Kings of the Turf" has a really good essay on him. Really amazing how he came back from his awful injuries to not just be able to function, but make a success of his stable.
 
Here here, he overcame difficulties that some of us could only imagine. He was a good man to land a punt when times were hard. May he rest in peace.
 
He had some fabulous horses in the early 80s, Bright Highway, Chlorelli, Tacroy and King Spruce among them. He overcame great difficulties to be a top trainer and was a credit to his profession.

RIP
 
I'm thinking about him and how difficult it would've been, even with care and support, to pull yourself out of bed early on cold and wet mornings, and wheel yourself around the yard, coming up half-height to the horses you're unable to even tack up or ride to the gallops. I'm assuming that his wife and family were of great help to him - it must be that his daughter has been shadowing him for some time, so as to seamlessly take over? The whole yard is a credit, then, to his willpower and their support.
 
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