Tributes pour in for Vincent O'Brien

As news of Vincent O'Brien's death spread on Monday, tributes to the

legendary trainer poured in from esteemed turfmen.

Jockey Lester Piggott, who rode a succession of O'Brien champions, hailed him

as "the greatest."

"Vincent's attention to detail was to be seen everywhere at

Ballydoyle, and he wanted to operate at the level where he could

get to know each individual animal as closely as was humanly

possible," Piggott said. "Everything he did was geared to keeping his horses

happy and relaxed at home so that they would perform to their

full potential on the racecourse, and the results speak for

themselves. There's really no argument. Vincent was the

greatest."

Sir Peter O'Sullevan, the dean of British racing commentators, noted

O'Brien's role in raising the profile of Irish racing.

"It's very sad, but at the same time I feel there is a lot

more to be thankful for than to grieve over," O'Sullevan said. "Between Vincent and

Paddy Prendergast, individually they were the two that put Irish

racing on the international map. All of us who cherish the horse

owe them a great debt, as what really inspired them was a passion

for horses and a remarkable insight into a horse's potential.

"The

way he transferred from jumping straight into the top flight of

the Flat was astounding when you consider that they had never

heard of a classic winner being trained where he trained in

County Tipperary. It was wonderful that he teamed up with Lester,

so that you had two serious racing masterminds in tandem.

"He had

a great eye for horses and a great gift for envisaging and

realizing their potential. He was a man who paid meticulous

attention to detail, was single-minded and devoted to the sport

and was aided by a brilliant wife of many years. We had a long

history of friendship and collaboration -- I used to bet for him

and book jockeys for him."

Brough Scott, an outstanding British sports writer of the succeeding

generation, offered the following salute:

"It is the end of an era, and he was a very special man, a

person who a lot of people were very fond of. It is the end of a

huge chapter, and probably the most astonishing individual

chapter in racing history. That is a strong statement, but he

started in the 1930s, and in the 40s and 50s in Ireland he was

already breaking the mould. He flew his Grand National horses

from Limerick, which no one could believe, as nobody did it in

those days.

"He was so far ahead of his time -- he linked up with

America when he switched to the Flat -- and completely changed the

way people saw themselves in Ireland and how they saw the

standard of a racehorse trainer. It was pretty competitive in

those days, and he completely dominated and won everything

going -- it is absolutely mind-boggling.

"The times of Sir Ivor and

Nijinsky were the times that he and Piggott strode the stage in a way that nobody had walked as big before. Vincent, in

his time, was further ahead of everyone else than anyone before

or since. We are all of us lucky to have been around in his era."

Leading pundit John McCririck, of Britain's Channel 4, was categorical in his

verdict:

"Such sadness today at a terrible loss. The Racing Post had a

poll a few years ago looking for the most influential person in

the history of racing, and the majority voted for Vincent

O'Brien. He was the single-most influential and most

knowledgeable person and has taken racing forward. You can say

with absolute certainty that nobody will ever be able to come up

from being virtually a teenager to achieve what he did again.

There were no great patrons or a great stable to start with, so

he built it up from nothing with his genius with horses. There will never be his like again."

A number of trainers stepped forward to praise O'Brien.

"My father and Vincent knew each other well," John Oxx said, "and Vincent's

success is well chronicled. He was a remarkable man, a great

perfectionist and a great listener. He was ahead of his time in

so many ways -- he started designing the first all-weather

gallops -- and was a real pioneer. He did a lot to make Ireland's

name abroad, and was the man who made the dreams come true.

"His

horses always looked so well and had great coats and skins on

them, so he obviously paid a lot of attention in those days to

what they were fed," Oxx continued. "Feeding was more of an art then than it is

now, and he was producing them in great condition. He

concentrated on speed and fast work and I think that's something

that had an effect on me."

"It's very sad news," Dermot Weld said. "He was the doyen of Irish racing,

which owes him a debt of gratitude that possibly can never be

repaid. He was a man a generation ahead of his time and whatever

different trainers achieve in their lives, I don't think any will

ever achieve what he did, and that's the highest tribute I can

pay. He was a man for all seasons and an inspiration for any

young Irish man or woman to achieve and to succeed--a legend in

his lifetime."

"He was always gracious in defeat and very good when he won

and we will miss him," said Kevin Prendergast, the son of the aforementioned

Paddy. "He did great promotion for Irish

racing. His jumps achievements will never be done again and, when

he came to the Flat, he was much more successful. I remember

complaining to him about being drawn in a particular position at

The Curragh over seven furlongs or a mile and he sent a quantity

surveyor to measure it the next day. He rang me and said, 'you

were right, for a change!' He was a marvelous gentleman and will

be sadly missed by everyone."

"We don't use the word lightly when we say he is one of the legends of racing," John Gosden

said. "Grand Nationals, Cheltenham Gold Cups,

Champion Hurdles, the Derby, the Guineas -- he did it all. I was

lucky enough to be his assistant during a golden era. He opened

up the world of international racing as well as bloodstock,

through the 35 years of the Northern Dancer line. We will see the

fruits of his labor in the Derby (Eng-G1) on Saturday."

Bill Oppenheim likewise credited O'Brien's role in cultivating the Northern

Dancer line:

"I've always thought being a trainer is really the most

difficult job in the Thoroughbred business. Not only do you have

to be a great horseman to develop top horses, you have to be

expert at management and client development, and fundraising as

well. In the Golden Age of the late 1970s and early 1980s, we had

legends like Charlie Whittingham and Woody Stephens, but Dr.

Vincent O'Brien was the greatest of them all. Not only was he

champion trainer on innumerable occasions in both codes (jumping,

then Flat) beginning in the late 1940s, his legacy in helping

create the empire that is Coolmore will endure for as long as

Ireland races and breeds horses.

"He was probably the greatest trainer of our lifetimes in

influencing the breed, through his early identification of

Northern Dancer as an important influence. Northern Dancer is the

foundation stone on which Coolmore is built, and it was Vincent

O'Brien, at the helm of his team, who first identified and most

developed his influence in Europe."

Racing was taking place at Naas Monday and, before a moment of silence was observed, the renowned commentator Des

Cahill paid tribute.

"His achievements were remarkable and his

partnership with Lester Piggott was the most feared duo in

racing," Cahill said. "For the many of us old enough to remember

his amazing achievements, we will mourn his passing, and those

younger will no doubt read the richly deserved and glowing

tributes over the coming days.

"On behalf of the Naas race

management and committee, we extend our sincerest sympathy to his

wife Jackie, to his sons David and Charles, daughters Susan, Liz

and Jane, his brother Phonsie, and his large extended family."