Vincent O'Brien is a retired Irish race horse trainer. He is of no relation to his namesake, Aidan O'Brien, another Irish race horse trainer. He is regarded as probably the greatest horse-racing trainer Ireland has ever produced, and was known as "the Master of Ballydoyle". He trained six horses to win the Epsom Derby. Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ... In horse racing, a trainer is responsible for preparing a horse for races. ... Aidan OBrien is an Irish horse racing trainer. ... Epsom Derby, Théodore Géricault, 1821. ...

He was born in Churchtown, Co Cork, in 1917. At first, he was a trainer of steeplechasers, and won the Grand National at Liverpool three times - Early Mist in 1953, Royal Tan in 1954, and Quare Times in 1955. Probably the greatest steeplechaser he trained was Cottage Rake, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times in the fifties. Churchtown can refer to: Churchtown, Sefton Churchtown, Dublin This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For the racing-themed rollercoaster of the same name, see Grand National (Roller coaster) The Grand National is the most valuable National Hunt handicap horse race in the United Kingdom. ... Liverpool waterfront by night, as seen from the Wirral. ... The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the foremost Chase in the United Kingdom, run at Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. ...

Soon after, he turned his attention to the flat, and set up his stables at Ballydoyle, near Cashel in County Tipperary. His first Epsom Derby winner was Larkspur in 1962. His other Derby winners were Sir Ivor (1968), [Nijinsky II | Nijinsky]] (1970), Roberto (1972), The Minstrel (1977) and last Golden Fleece (1982). During the 1970s, he and owner Robert Sangster, along with O'Brien's son-in-law, John Magnier, established what became known as the Coolmore syndicate, which became a highly successful horse-racing and breeding operation, centred on Coolmore Stud in Co Tipperary, but also stud farms in Kentucky and Australia. The key to the success was through use of the bloodline of a Canadian-bred horse named Northern Dancer, who had won a Kentucky Derby. One son of Northern Dancer was Nijinsky, probably the best horse O'Brien ever trained. He was ridden to victory at Epsom by Lester Piggott, who was associated with the Ballydoyle stable during the most successful years of the late sixties and seventies. Cashel (Irish: An Caisleán) is a town in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, located south of the midlands of Ireland. ... County Tipperary (Tiobraid Árann in Irish) is a traditional county in the Republic of Ireland, in the province of Munster. ... Epsom Derby, Théodore Géricault, 1821. ... The Minstrel, (1974-1990), was a champion thoroughbred racehorse. ... Robert Edmund Sangster (May 23, 1936 - April 7, 2004) was a well-known English racehorse owner and breeder. ... John Magnier (born 1948) is Irelands leading thoroughbred stud owner and has extensive business interests outside of the horsebreeding industry. ... Worlds largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses, based in County Tipperary in Ireland. ... County Tipperary (Tiobraid Árann in Irish) is a traditional county in the Republic of Ireland, in the province of Munster. ... Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 - November 16, 1990) was a Canadian-bred thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire in racing history. ... Churchill Downs racetrack, 2004 The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the three-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. ... Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 - November 16, 1990) was a Canadian-bred thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire in racing history. ... Lester Keith Piggott (born 5 November 1935) was an English jockey, considered to be the best of his generation and one of the greatest flat jockeys of all time. ...

O'Brien's son, David, became a trainer, and won the Epsom Derby in 1984 with Secreto, beating his father's horse, El Gran Senor, by a short head. Vincent O'Brien retired from training in the late eighties; he was succeeded as "Master of Ballydoyle" by Aidan O'Brien. Secreto (b c Northern Dancer - Bettys Secret (Secretariat)) was foaled on February 12 1981 and won the Epsom Derby in 1984. ...

Vincent O'Brien married Jacqueline Wittenoom, from Perth, Australia, in 1951 and had five children, Elizabeth (McCrory); Susan (Magnier); Jane (Myerscough); David and Charles.