Joseph Patrick O'Brien: Young Jockey and trainer

A Meteoric Rise in the Saddle

Joseph O'Brien first gained international recognition as a Flat jockey, although his career in the saddle lasted only six-and-a-half years due to the difficulty of maintaining a racing weight under nine stone, given his nearly six-foot frame. Despite this, his achievements in such a brief period are unparalleled in the sport. His career began with a victory on Johann Zoffany, trained by his father Aidan, at Leopardstown on May 28, 2009, less than a week after turning 16. Even while attending school and riding part-time, he was part of a three-way tie for the Champion Apprentice title in Ireland in 2010. He secured the title outright in 2011, also claiming his first Classic win that year with Roderic O’Connor in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. Later, he became the youngest jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race by riding St Nicholas Abbey to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

As O'Brien's career progressed, he continued to break records. In 2012, he and his father Aidan became the first father-son trainer-jockey duo to win the Derby with Camelot. That same year, Joseph was crowned Irish Champion Jockey with 87 winners. In October 2013, he surpassed a 20-year-old record by securing his 117th win of the season with a treble at Navan, finishing the year with 126 winners and retaining his Irish Champion Jockey title. His brief but illustrious riding career saw him accumulate 31 Group 1 wins worldwide, including victories in the Derby (twice), the St Leger, the 2000 Guineas, the Irish Derby (twice), the Breeders’ Cup Turf, the Grand Prix de Paris, the Dubai Sheema Classic, and three consecutive Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Transition to Training and Early Success

By the end of the 2015 season, it became evident that Joseph could no longer sustain the extreme lifestyle required to maintain his riding weight. His retirement was announced in the spring of 2016, but he had already been transitioning into training horses at Carriganóg Racing on Owning Hill. Notably, he trained Ivanovich Gorbatov, who won the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2016 under his father Aidan’s name.

In June 2016, Joseph officially received his training licencse and had a remarkable start, saddling four winners on his first day, including victories by his siblings Donnacha and Sarah, with Ana also placing. His dream debut was followed by his first Group 1 win with Intricately in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh, ridden by Donnacha and bred by his mother Annemarie. His siblings and mother played significant roles in his early success, contributing numerous winners as riders and breeders.

Joseph’s training career flourished rapidly, with his number of winners on both Flat and National Hunt increasing significantly in 2017. This successful year was highlighted by Rekindling’s victory in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington, making Joseph the youngest trainer ever to win the prestigious race at 24 years old. The 2017/18 National Hunt season brought more milestones with Grade 1 wins for Tower Bridge in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle and Edwulf in the Irish Gold Cup.

Continued Achievements and International Acclaim

Joseph’s success continued with notable achievements in 2019, including wins at the Cheltenham Festival with Band Of Outlaws in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and Early Doors in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. He celebrated a significant home victory when Latrobe, ridden by Donnacha, won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

Eight years after becoming the youngest jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race, Joseph became the youngest trainer to win one when Iridessa triumphed in the Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in 2019. This made him the second person, alongside Freddy Head, to both ride and train a Breeders’ Cup winner. On the same day, Joseph achieved victories in Australia and Down Royal, securing wins on three different continents within 24 hours. By the end of 2019, he had saddled 195 winners across both Flat and National Hunt codes.

Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Joseph’s rise in the training ranks continued. He secured his first British Classic win with Galileo Chrome in the St Leger at Doncaster and another Group 1 victory with Thunder Moon in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. Remarkably, Twilight Payment won the Melbourne Cup amid pandemic restrictions, adding to Joseph’s accolades.

In 2021, Joseph’s international success story continued. Baron Samedi won the Belmont Gold Cup in the United States, while State Of Rest made headlines by winning the Saratoga Derby Invitational and the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, Australia, overcoming stringent veterinary entry protocols. The victory was particularly significant as it was achieved with Irish jockey Johnny Allen, who once worked for Joseph’s grandfather, Joe Crowley.

Although Joseph reduced the number of National Hunt horses in his care from 2020, his success in this sphere persisted. He began 2022 with a win at the Cheltenham Festival with Banbridge in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle and Fakir D’Oudairies winning the Melling Chase at the Aintree Grand National for the second consecutive year.

The focus then shifted back to the Flat as State Of Rest won the Prix Ganay at Longchamp and the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, marking Joseph’s first Royal Ascot victory. The year concluded with Al Riffa’s victory in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh, bringing Joseph’s Flat wins to 127 for the year.

Joseph O'Brien's extraordinary journey from a celebrated jockey to an acclaimed trainer has been marked by record-breaking achievements and international success, showcasing his remarkable talent and dedication to the sport.