Joseph O'Brien
Joseph Patrick O’Brien was born in County Tipperary on May 23, 1993, the eldest son of multiple classic-winning and champion trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Joseph Patrick O’Brien was born in County Tipperary on May 23, 1993, the eldest son of multiple classic-winning and champion trainer Aidan O’Brien.
He won a bronze medal at the 2009 European Pony Championships and began his race-riding career the same year. He rode his first winner on Johann Zoffany, trained by his father, at Leopardstown on May 28, 2009.
He won a bronze medal at the 2009 European Pony Championships and began his race-riding career the same year. He rode his first winner on Johann Zoffany, trained by his father, at Leopardstown on May 28, 2009.
The following year he shared the Champion Apprentice title in a three-way tie with Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis.
The following year he shared the Champion Apprentice title in a three-way tie with Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis.
In 2011, he was still just 17 years of age when riding his first Classic winner on Roderic O’Connor in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. He won the Champion Apprentice title outright that season and rounded off the year by becoming the youngest jockey, aged 18, to win a Breeders’ Cup race when successful on St Nicholas Abbey in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
In 2011, he was still just 17 years of age when riding his first Classic winner on Roderic O’Connor in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. He won the Champion Apprentice title outright that season and rounded off the year by becoming the youngest jockey, aged 18, to win a Breeders’ Cup race when successful on St Nicholas Abbey in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
In 2012 he won the English 2,000 Guineas and Derby on Camelot (right). In doing so, Aidan and Joseph became the first father and son trainer/jockey combination to win the Epsom Classic. He also won that year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas on Power and Irish Derby on Camelot, along with the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Imperial Monarch. He finished the year as Ireland’s Champion Jockey with 87 winners.
In 2012 he won the English 2,000 Guineas and Derby on Camelot (right). In doing so, Aidan and Joseph became the first father and son trainer/jockey combination to win the Epsom Classic. He also won that year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas on Power and Irish Derby on Camelot, along with the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Imperial Monarch. He finished the year as Ireland’s Champion Jockey with 87 winners.
He easily retained his title in 2013 when he set a new record of 126 winners in a season, comfortably eclipsing Michael Kinane’s 20-year-old record of 115 winners. He won the Irish 2,000 Guineas for the third successive year, this time on Magician. He also won that year’s English St Leger aboard Leading Light and the Dubai Sheema Classic on St Nicholas Abbey
He easily retained his title in 2013 when he set a new record of 126 winners in a season, comfortably eclipsing Michael Kinane’s 20-year-old record of 115 winners. He won the Irish 2,000 Guineas for the third successive year, this time on Magician. He also won that year’s English St Leger aboard Leading Light and the Dubai Sheema Classic on St Nicholas Abbey
Australia provided him with a second Epsom Derby and Irish Derby in 2014. His last Classic victory came on Order Of St George in the 2015 Irish St Leger.
Australia provided him with a second Epsom Derby and Irish Derby in 2014. His last Classic victory came on Order Of St George in the 2015 Irish St Leger.
He rode three Royal Ascot winners: So You Think (2012 Prince of Wales’s Stakes), Declaration Of War (2013 Queen Anne Stakes), and Leading Light (2014 Ascot Gold Cup).
He rode three Royal Ascot winners: So You Think (2012 Prince of Wales’s Stakes), Declaration Of War (2013 Queen Anne Stakes), and Leading Light (2014 Ascot Gold Cup).
His other Group 1 winners in Britain were: Racing Post Trophy twice on Camelot (2011) and Kingsbarns (2012), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Excelebration (2012), Coronation Cup twice on St Nicholas Abbey (2012 & 2013), International Stakes twice on Declaration Of War (2013) and Australia (2014), and the Fillies’ Mile on Together Forever (2014).
His other Group 1 winners in Britain were: Racing Post Trophy twice on Camelot (2011) and Kingsbarns (2012), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Excelebration (2012), Coronation Cup twice on St Nicholas Abbey (2012 & 2013), International Stakes twice on Declaration Of War (2013) and Australia (2014), and the Fillies’ Mile on Together Forever (2014).
His other Group 1 wins in Ireland were: Moyglare Stud Stakes on Maybe (2011), Tattersalls Gold Cup on So You Think (2012), Vincent O’Brien National Stakes twice on Gleneagles (2014) and Air Force Blue (2015), and the Phoenix Stakes twice on Dick Whittington (2014) and Air Force Blue (2015)
His other Group 1 wins in Ireland were: Moyglare Stud Stakes on Maybe (2011), Tattersalls Gold Cup on So You Think (2012), Vincent O’Brien National Stakes twice on Gleneagles (2014) and Air Force Blue (2015), and the Phoenix Stakes twice on Dick Whittington (2014) and Air Force Blue (2015)
He rode what would prove to be his final winner in Ireland aboard A Year To Remember in a two-year-old maiden at Limerick on October 10, 2015. He took over the running of the family’s training establishment at Piltown, County Kilkenny and was widely credited with the success of a number of horses, including the 2016 Triumph Hurdle winner Ivanovich Gorbatov, although his father was the official trainer.
He rode what would prove to be his final winner in Ireland aboard A Year To Remember in a two-year-old maiden at Limerick on October 10, 2015. He took over the running of the family’s training establishment at Piltown, County Kilkenny and was widely credited with the success of a number of horses, including the 2016 Triumph Hurdle winner Ivanovich Gorbatov, although his father was the official trainer.
Being tall and constantly waging a battle against rising weight, it came as no surprise when in March 2016 he announced that he would be stepping down from race-riding to concentrate on training, based at Owning Hill, County Kilkenny. In all, he had ridden 518 winners including 30 Group/Grade 1 winners and 10 Classic victories.
Being tall and constantly waging a battle against rising weight, it came as no surprise when in March 2016 he announced that he would be stepping down from race-riding to concentrate on training, based at Owning Hill, County Kilkenny. In all, he had ridden 518 winners including 30 Group/Grade 1 winners and 10 Classic victories.
He obtained his trainer’s licence on June 3, 2016 and sent out his first winner just four days later, Justice Frederick, ridden by his younger brother Donnacha, at Gowran Park on June 7, 2016 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The 6-4 chance got the better of his father Aidan’s 6-5 favourite Leo Minor to win.
He obtained his trainer’s licence on June 3, 2016 and sent out his first winner just four days later, Justice Frederick, ridden by his younger brother Donnacha, at Gowran Park on June 7, 2016 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The 6-4 chance got the better of his father Aidan’s 6-5 favourite Leo Minor to win.
Joseph made a one-off return to the saddle to win the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes on the George Scott-trained Phosphorescence at Doncaster on September 7, 2016. Four days later he landed his first Group 1 success as a trainer when Intricately, bred by his mother Annmarie and ridden by his brother Donnacha, won the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Longines Irish Champions Weekend. It was also a first Group 1 success in the saddle for 18-year-old Donnacha.
Joseph made a one-off return to the saddle to win the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes on the George Scott-trained Phosphorescence at Doncaster on September 7, 2016. Four days later he landed his first Group 1 success as a trainer when Intricately, bred by his mother Annmarie and ridden by his brother Donnacha, won the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Longines Irish Champions Weekend. It was also a first Group 1 success in the saddle for 18-year-old Donnacha.
Joseph enjoyed his first winner as a trainer in Britain when the Jimmy Quinn-ridden Lynn’s Memory won at Bath on June 17, 2017.
Joseph enjoyed his first winner as a trainer in Britain when the Jimmy Quinn-ridden Lynn’s Memory won at Bath on June 17, 2017.
Aged just 24, Joseph became the youngest winning trainer of the Melbourne Cup when his Rekindling beat the Aidan O’Brien-trained Johannes Vermeer in Australia's greatest race on November 7, 2017.
Aged just 24, Joseph became the youngest winning trainer of the Melbourne Cup when his Rekindling beat the Aidan O’Brien-trained Johannes Vermeer in Australia's greatest race on November 7, 2017.
He achieved his first Grade 1 wins in the National Hunt sphere at the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February, 2018, winning the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle with 25-1 chance Tower Bridge on the opening day of the Festival. He followed up when 33-1 outsider Edwulf won the Irish Gold Cup on the second day.
He achieved his first Grade 1 wins in the National Hunt sphere at the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February, 2018, winning the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle with 25-1 chance Tower Bridge on the opening day of the Festival. He followed up when 33-1 outsider Edwulf won the Irish Gold Cup on the second day.
Joseph enjoyed his biggest home success as a trainer when Latrobe won the Irish Derby on Saturday, June 30, 2018, ridden by his brother Donnacha. Joseph enjoyed his first Group 1 success in Britain when Iridessa, the mount of Wayne Lordan, won the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on October 12, 2018.
Joseph enjoyed his biggest home success as a trainer when Latrobe won the Irish Derby on Saturday, June 30, 2018, ridden by his brother Donnacha. Joseph enjoyed his first Group 1 success in Britain when Iridessa, the mount of Wayne Lordan, won the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on October 12, 2018.
He officially got off the mark at the Cheltenham Festival when Band Of Outlaws won the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in March, 2019. A second winner came in the final race of that year’s Festival with Early Doors in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
He officially got off the mark at the Cheltenham Festival when Band Of Outlaws won the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in March, 2019. A second winner came in the final race of that year’s Festival with Early Doors in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
He won two Irish Group 1 races with Iridessa in 2019, the Matron Stakes and the Pretty Polly Stakes. Later that year, eight years after he became the youngest jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race, Joseph became the youngest trainer to enjoy success at the annual extravaganza when Iridessa won the Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November, 2019. Joseph became only the second person, after Freddy Head, to ride and train a Breeders’ Cup winner.
He won two Irish Group 1 races with Iridessa in 2019, the Matron Stakes and the Pretty Polly Stakes. Later that year, eight years after he became the youngest jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race, Joseph became the youngest trainer to enjoy success at the annual extravaganza when Iridessa won the Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November, 2019. Joseph became only the second person, after Freddy Head, to ride and train a Breeders’ Cup winner.