Alphonsus Septimus 'Phonsie' O'Brien (15 Sep 1929 – 5 July 2016) was an Irish

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

and

racehorse trainer A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals' physical needs, as well as teaching them good behaviors and/or coaching them for events, which ...

. He was the youngest of a combined seven sons born in Churchtown, County Cork to the two marriages of Dan O'Brien, and full-brother of racehorse trainer

Vincent O'Brien Michael Vincent O'Brien (9 April 1917 – 1 June 2009) was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history in a worldwide poll hosted by the ''Racing Pos ...

. He had a riding career in the 1940s which he followed by taking out a licence to train horses in 1956. He was based in stables at South Lodge,

Carrick-on-Suir Carrick-on-Suir () is a town in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies on both banks of the River Suir. The part on the north bank of the Suir lies in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of "Carrick", in the historical B ...

and later at

Cashel Cashel (an Anglicised form of the Irish language word ''Caiseal'', meaning "stone fort") may refer to: Places in Ireland *Cashel, County Tipperary **The Rock of Cashel, an ancient, hilltop fortress complex for which Cashel is named ** Archbishop ...

. He trained the winner of the

Galway Plate The Galway Plate is a National Hunt chase in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Galway over a distance of about 2 miles and furlongs (2 miles 6 furlongs and 111 yard ...

four times in succession from 1962 to 1965 and was credited with Chamour's victory in the 1960

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a dista ...

. Vincent O'Brien had trained Chamour but was suspended from training after the horse failed a drugs test. Phonsie O'Brien took over the training licence while his brother was suspended. O'Brien's daughter, Mary Ann O'Brien, is a businesswoman who founded the Lily O'Brien's chocolate company. O'Brien died at his home near

Kilsheelan Kilsheelan () is a village and civil parish within the barony of Iffa and Offa East in County Tipperary, Ireland. A part of the civil parish is in neighbouring County Waterford. It is also one half of the Roman Catholic parish of Kilsheelan & K ...

on 5 July 2016.

References

1929 births 2016 deaths Irish jockeys Irish racehorse trainers People from Churchtown, County Cork Equestrians from County Cork {{Ireland-horseracing-bio-stub