Award for legend O`Brien The legendary Vincent O`Brien was inducted into the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association`s Hall of Fame at a function in Kildare yesterday marking the awards ceremony of the 2000 Irish Flat racing season. 'I have been fortunate to train some very fine horses such as Nijinsky, Sir Ivor, Sadler`s Wells, Alleged and El Gran Senor,' said Dr O`Brien. He recalled a particular visit to Canada in 1968 when he saw a colt from the second crop of Northern Dancer at Windfields Farm which he recommended to one of his owners, Charles Engelhard. Dr O`Brien said: 'A deal was done for the horse at 84,000 dollars and he was Nijinsky. How lucky can you get?' Pat Smullen, champion jockey for the first time in Ireland last season, made the long trip from Dubai for the occasion to pick up his award after a campaign in the Millennium year that saw him ride 80 winners. Smullen left immediately after the presentation on a return journey to Dubai where he will be riding on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, before coming back again to Ireland for the launch of the current campaign at Leopardstown next Monday. Aidan O`Brien, successor to the unrelated Vincent O`Brien at Ballydoyle, was the champion trainer for the third time as his horses, notably Giant`s Causeway, earned #2.2m. Special Achievement awards were made to trainer John Oxx and his stable jockey Johnny Murtagh to mark their unprecedented triumphs last year with the Aga Khan`s homebred colt, Sinndar.
