Epsom Downs Racecourse is delighted to announce that six times Derby winning trainer, Vincent O’Brien will be the Guest of Honour at the 2008 Derby Festival.

“We are so delighted to be able to welcome such a racing legend back to Epsom for the Derby Festival this year. He is undoubtedly the father of modern day trainers, and is a living god within the world of racing. It is therefore an enormous privilege for us at Epsom to bestow this honour upon such a truly great man.”

Nick Blofeld, Managing Director of Epsom Downs Racecourse

And Vincent O’Brien says “I am most touched to be chosen as Guest of Honour for this year's Epsom Derby. I could never have imagined eighty years ago, growing up on our farm in remote Co. Cork, that I would have been chosen for this special honour.

“There is no doubt that winning the six Derbys gave me the six greatest thrills of my life. The three-year-old colt has just one chance at this race, one day only in his life and I have been so fortunate to have trained the six great horses who won the race for me. It is in recognition of their ability, stamina and courage, the skill of the jockeys who rode them and the support of our stable, that I am so proud to accept this honour.

“It is over 65 years since I took out my first trainer's licence and so much has changed at Epsom during that time - starting stalls, supplementary entries, prize money, patrol cameras, watering, elaborate grandstands, improvements to the track, and even a Saturday Derby.

“But some things have never changed – the pounding heart-beat one feels as the horses come round Tattenham Corner and the thrill of the uphill finish, whether the victory is easy like Nijinsky’s or by an inch like Roberto’s. For me an Epsom Derby win is the greatest prize of all - the ultimate goal for a trainer – and it has been thus for over 200 years.”

Vincent will be accompanied by his wife Jacqueline and his son, Charles.