Irish-born Peter O’Brien (pictured below) boasts an impressive Thoroughbred resume, having spent many of his younger days on track with his mentor, the late, great racing writer Tom McCormack, and having headed straight to Kentucky once his school days were over.
Gaining valuable experience working at Taylor Made and Windfields Farm’s bases in the U.S. and Canada, at Arrowfield Stud (with the Coolmore horses during the early days of shuttling), Woodlands Stud and Stockwell Stud in Australia and Ra Ora Stud in New Zealand, he also spent time with leading trainers in South Australia (Colin Hayes at Lindsay Park) and New South Wales (Neville Begg).
Part of the Coolmore Stud team for over 35 years, including management of its Australian base, he has been general manager of the historic Segenhoe Stud in New South Wales since 2014.
Who do you think is the most important figure in world racing history?
A sweeping but interesting question! Obviously, historically, people like Federico Tesio. I have an enormous amount of respect for him. He was groundbreaking in every way, not only in breeding but in regards to planning his horses’ careers, particularly internationally.
In America, Bull Hancock was a groundbreaker and visionary as well, similarly in Australia with John Messara.
But, overall to me, John Magnier has to be the most influential. I had the privilege of working for him for 25 years, he revolutionized the breeding industry in Ireland and in Australia in regards to shuttling.
He has an uncanny ability to identify people like Aidan O’Brien and there are people all around the world in leading roles in the bloodstock industry who started off with Coolmore who have learned from John’s attention to detail.
The horses too. People see the success of Aidan O’Brien’s team now - a lot of those fillies and colts are third and fourth generation families from Coolmore.
And John is an amazing man, a terrific human being and someone I couldn’t thank enough for my own career. His legacy will be here for the next hundred years at least.
Which is your favorite venue and race and why?
Flemington and the Melbourne Cup.
I first came to Australia in 1989 and was captivated as is everyone in the country with the race. I have been here every year since, and it is the one race I would love to have a runner in.
Flemington is a special place for me. I had my first winner there, and it has been a lucky racecourse for me. Outside of that, it is a spectacular setting with incredible facilities. It is like walking into Ascot.
God willing, at some stage will have a runner in the Melbourne Cup. It is top of my wish list.
What is your fondest memory in racing and why?
A very easy one for me. I was fortunate enough to have a share in Merchant Navy and my fondest memories are linked to him. His win in the Coolmore Stud Stakes [a Flemington Spring Carnival G1 sprint) was definitely my greatest ever racing moment. He was last in running and got up along the rails to win right on the line (see video below). That is a hard one to surpass.
And obviously his win in the UK (the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes). I grew up in Ireland and spent my youth (and to this day) watching Royal Ascot- to have a runner, let alone a winner, at that meeting was spectacularly incredible for me.
The only way he could be eclipsed was if I won a Melbourne Cup.
What do you see as the biggest challenge racing faces today?
Without a shadow of doubt, it is welfare. It has become more front and centre over the last five years, particularly during the last two years. It is something that is very close to my heart
There have been vast inroads made in the last two years but there is a lot more left to be done.
I am conscious of Australian horses being exported overseas and their outcomes. I know the Hong Kong Jockey Club has a system in place and we at Segenhoe try to rehome our horses.
I think everyone agrees that welfare is a big issue, especially for the next demographic coming through. For the sake of our wonderful industry, we need to engage particularly with the under 30-year-olds.
And from an employment point of view, another incredibly important issue, we are not getting the flow through of young people into racing and breeding. We have lost a connection that needs to be rebuilt.
If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?
I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I think the whip needs to go, though jockeys should carry it for safety purposes. It is an incredibly important issue and for new people coming into the industry and onto racetracks, it is very off-putting. To continue the connection with the demographics coming through, getting rid of the whip would be a firm step in the right direction.