Irish horse racing trainer Aidan O'Brien will be inducted into the Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame later today. The man born in Wexford is only the fourth trainer in its history to be inducted into it.
The 54-year-old's first winner was at Tralee in June 1993, and during his racing career as a trainer, he trained horses to victory in prestigious events such as the Champion Hurdle and various classic flat races, including the 2000 Guineas, the Derby, the Oaks, and the 1000 Guineas.
In 2017, O'Brien set a record by training 28 Group/Grade One winners in a single calendar year, and he also surpassed the previous mark for career winners at Royal Ascot, ending with 85 victories.
O'Brien will be recognised in a medal presentation before getting back to matters at the 2000 Guineas Day at Newmarket on Saturday, with the odds-on favourite City of Troy.
Speaking about the achievement and inclusion, O'Brien admitted he was delighted to be included in the legendary Hall of Fame.
Congratulations to Aidan O'Brien, inducted to the British Flat Racing Hall Of Fame today ㊗️👏 pic.twitter.com/8HUuFaixdq
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 30, 2024
"It is incredible and a privilege for us, as it is something we would never have expected," said O’Brien.
"The people and horses that have gone before us, I feel very privileged to have worked with. I can’t say how delighted and honoured I feel."
When asked what his favourite achievements were, he added that winning a Derby was something that he never imagined would happen. He also paid special tribute to everyone involved in the journey to date.
"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.
"There is no doubt it is all about the people. We always say you can have the horses about the place, but if you don’t have the people, it is a waste of time. They are the ones that put in the hard work day in and day out, and we appreciate that."
You can watch O'Brien's horse, City of Troy, at Newmarket later today. The race starts at 3.35
