In detention in upstate New York, he passed into the hands of Bobby Stewart, a retired fighter, who sent him, at the age of fourteen, to the great trainer Cus D'Amato.
O'Brien, who was recording his fourth Group One win in Britain this year, was attending the funeral of Phonsie O'Brien, brother of the great trainer Vincent, in Ireland, but Kevin Buckley, the Coolmore Stud's UK representative, can see Alice Springs being campaigned at both a mile and 10 furlongs over the remainder of the season.
You think about all the great trainers that have never come up with a horse like him".
He formed relationships with three of the great trainers - Murless, O'Brien and Henry Cecil - which made many millions for their principal owners, Victor Sassoon, Sangster and Charles St George.
"I leave with a huge sense of gratitude to all the great horses I have ridden, all the great trainers whose genius developed those champions and everybody else in racing, from the stable lads to the owners, who have made me deeply thankful for my involvement in the game.
The Irish call O'Brien the greatest trainer in the world.
Cecil was described as "the greatest trainer of all time" by racing broadcaster Derek Thompson, champion National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls called him "a true legend", while Newmarket racecourse said his contribution to racing would never be forgotten.
Later, Hitchcock allegedly "lied" to the actress, saying that he would use a flock of mechanical birds in a scene, but then used live birds that swarmed and pecked at her. "Not even the greatest trainer in the world could control every move an animal makes, especially when it's under stress," she writes in the book.
He was also a great trainer.
