Tommy O'Brien

Thomas John O’Brien, known as Tommy, rode nearly 50 winners in his native Ireland, highlighted by his 1956 Grand National victory on Air Prince for trainer Jimmy McClintock. 

Icelough, ridden by Tos Taaffe, had started favourite for that race, a role he had occupied the previous year. He led most of the way and, though passed by Roddy Owen about a mile out, soon regained the lead, which he held until the second last fence, where he was headed by Air Prince and Richardstown, the mount of Johnny Rafferty. Over the final fence Air Prince, a 20-1 chance, forged ahead to beat Richardstown, by three lengths, with Icelough the same distance away in third.

Twelve-year-old Air Prince was owned by Beatrice McClintock, whose brother Frank Wise had ridden Alike to victory in the 1929 Irish Grand National, despite the handicap of an artificial leg and the absence of three fingers. Beatrice married Jimmy McClintock, and they ran a stable and stud near Cahir, Co. Tipperary. Jimmy McClintock trained Sundew for Pat Grey before that horse was sold to England, where he won the 1957 Grand National. 

Air Prince was a half-brother to the 1952 Grand National winner Teal and had joined McClintock as a four-year-old. He broke down three times but was nursed back to fitness for his 1956 Irish Grand National triumph. 

Tommy’s delight in winning the Irish Grand National was tempered by a broken collarbone, sustained in a fall from Shannon Flame on the last race on the card.

Based in Co. Kilkenny, Tommy rode for Gowran trainer Dan Kirwan for many years. He also formed a good partnership with the George Wells-trained Southern Dago, winning four times on him during the 1956/57 season, beginning with handicap chases at Tuam in August and Mullingar in September, then bookending the campaign with victories in the valuable Tostal Handicap Hurdle at Naas in May and the Mullingar Gold Cup, a handicap chase, in June.

He rode two winners in England, both in 1957, the first coming at Catterick Bridge on January 12, when Silver Rock, trained by Walter Wharton at Wetherby, won the Stand Novices’ Hurdle (Division II), scoring by a head. Noel Boston, rider of the runner-up Lochmaben, objected to the winner on grounds of “crossing and bumping after the last flight of hurdles” but this was overruled. 

On March 29 that year he rode 66-1 outsider Fahrenheit in the Grand National but fell at the Canal Turn on the first circuit. 

Tommy’s other winner was the Prairie Rambler for Hednesford trainer Bob Ward in the Rasen Handicap Chase at Market Rasen on May 11, winning by three lengths. He rode the seven-year-old gelding one more time when finishing second at Hexham on Whit Monday, June 10, 1957. That was his last ride in Britain. He returned to Ireland and continued his modestly successful career there. 

He retired in 1964 and ran a public house in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny. He later took out a permit to train his own horses, which he continued to do on a small scale as a hobby.