Date of birth: 13 April 1952 Started training: 1990 Base: Jackdaws Castle, Gloucestershire 2002-2003 wins: 114 2001-2002 wins: 112 2000-2001 wins: 58 1999-2000 wins: 43 Stable stars: Keen Leader, Intersky Falcon, Rhinestone Cowboy, Iris's Gift Main jockey: Liam Cooper

In the saddle, the Irishman's greatest triumph was in partnership with Dawn Run, the only horse to have won both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup.

In total, O'Neill won the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle twice each, partnering Alverton to victory in the former and Sea Pigeon in the latter, a horse he also enjoyed Flat glory on in the Tote Ebor.

Twice champion jockey, he retired with 885 winners and then came through a battle against cancer before embarking on the second stage of his racing career.

His first big winner as a trainer came with Gipsy Fiddler at Royal Ascot in 1990 while his first Cheltenham winner in the shape of Danny Connors came the next year.

O'Neill's first decade as a trainer saw him based at Penrith in Cumbria but in 2001 one of his main owners, JP McManus, installed him in the famous training establishment of Jackdaws Castle in Gloucestershire.

His career has really taken off since then and for the past two seasons he has topped the century mark for winners.