O'Brien honoured at Moyglare dinner Aidan O'Brien, who this year equalled his own exceptional record of training 23 Group One winners in a single season, was honoured for his many achievements in 2008, by the Turf Club at the annual Moyglare dinner in the K Club on Saturday night. Each year at the dinner, the Turf Club honours someone who either has had an exceptional year or has made a major contribution to the sport of racing over many years. In making the presentation to Aidan O'Brien, Nick Wachman, the Senior Steward of the Turf Club, commented on O'Brien's exceptional career to date which has seen him train 150 Group/Grade One winners in only 13 seasons. "It is incredible to think that Aidan has already had a remarkable career in training National Hunt winners before his first Group One victory with Desert King in the 1996 National Stakes. It is equally remarkable to realise that, while he has 150 Group/Grade One wins behind him, he has not yet reached the age of 40!" In detailing his achievements in 2008, Mr.Wachman noted that O'Brien's record for the season included; * 23 Group One wins, a total that equalled his record of 2001. * Champion trainer in Britain for 4th time. * Six winners at Royal Ascot including Yeats, winning the Gold Cup for the third year in a row, becoming only the second horse to achieve this feat. * Trainer of all five Irish Classic winners ? first time feat has been achieved since 1935. Previous recipients of the Turf Club's Moyglare Dinner presentation have included Cahir O'Sullivan, Jim Bolger and Frances Crowley.
