Date of birth: 29 May 1979 Place of birth: Cumbria 2002-03 wins: 48 2001-02 wins: 42 2000-01 wins: 7 1999-00 wins: 23 Main trainer: Jonjo O'Neill

Cooper comes from good racing stock.

One of his uncles is David Goulding, a former top northern professional while another uncle, John, won the Scottish National on Astral Charmer before turning to training.

But it is one of Goulding's contemporaries, Jonjo O'Neill, that Cooper can thank for notching up some decent winners so early in his career.

Cooper started by mucking out his uncle John's small stables and spent a year with Ian Balding before linking up with O'Neill.

Having joined O'Neill in Penrith, he followed the former champion jockey when he moved south to Jackdaws Castle in Gloucestershire and the partnership is blossoming.

Despite his progress, Cooper maintains his modesty, describing himself as nothing more than "an overpaid stable lad".

Cooper was aboard two of O'Neill's four winners at the 2002 Aintree Festival.

Those victories helped him finish second in the conditional jockeys' title race with a total of 42 winners.

Despite his youth and relative inexperience, he has shown mature horsemanship in his races, most notably on the first day of 2003.

In the opening race of the New Year, Cooper pipped Tony McCoy to victory after an impeccable jumping display on Joss Naylor at Cheltenham.

Some believe he will one day emulate both McCoy and his boss to become a champion in his own right.