Aidan O'Brien

Born: 16 October 1969 Started training: 1993 Base: Ballydoyle Champion trainer: Twice (2001-2) English Classic wins: Seven (all except 1,000 Guineas) 2003 wins: 6 (UK) 2002 wins: 10 (UK) 2001 wins: 20 (UK) 2000 wins: 10 (UK) Main jockey: Jamie Spencer

Just like his namesake and predecessor at Ballydoyle, Vincent, Aidan O'Brien has rewritten the training history books.

The former champion amateur jockey cut short his riding career and took up a trainer's licence at the age of 23.

He made his mark first in jump racing, sending out two winners on his first day and breaking prize money records as he won the trainers' title in his first season.

He broke the record number of wins for a year in only his second campaign and then decided to try his hand at the Flat after being asked to take over at the famous Ballydoyle stables in County Tipperary.

The major successes started to come in the 1997 season when he won the Irish 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas and the Irish Derby.

The following season, he picked up his first English Classic when King Of Kings won the 2,000 Guineas.

He continued to train jumpers, notably Istabraq, whom he saddled to three Champion Hurdle crowns.

After Istabraq retired in 2002, O'Brien gave up the jumping game but his grip on the Flat was strengthening.

In 2001, he became the first overseas trainer since Vincent O'Brien to land the British trainers' title.

That year, he won 23 Group One races, including the Oaks-Derby double with Imagine and Galileo, and also opened his account at the Breeders' Cup, winning the juvenile event with Johannesburg.

In 2002, O'Brien retained both his English and Irish champion trainer crowns, with High Chaparral winning the Derby and Rock Of Gibraltar taking the 2,000 Guineas on his way to setting a new record of seven consecutive Group One wins.

The 2003 season saw O'Brien give up his English title although Brian Boru did win the St Leger.

And High Chaparral retained his Breeders' Cup Turf title as well as becoming the first non-Godolphin horse to win the World Racing Series.