DOB: 16.01.1969 Place of birth: Co. Cork Main trainer: Venetia Williams National best: Second, Mely Moss (2000) 2000-2001 wins: 76 1999-2000 wins: 123

Stormin' Norman refuses to be beaten and has shrugged off disappointments to be one of the leading jump jockeys.

Williamson lost the booking on Looks Like Trouble just weeks before the horse went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March 2000.

The horse had performed badly with him riding in the King George VI Chase three months earlier.

And Richard Johnson replaced Williamson to take Gold Cup glory.

But Williamson bounced back just weeks later with a stirring performance aboard Mely Moss in the Grand National.

He looked in with a chance of winning on the 25-1 chance, trained by Charlie Egerton, but had to settle for second behind Papillon.

Jockey, trainer and horse teamed up again at last year's National but their bid to go one better ended in the pile-up at the Canal Turn.

Williamson's career is littered with big-race victories.

He was leading rider at the 1995 Cheltenham Festival with four winners.

The haul included a Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double for trainer Kim Bailey on Alderbrook and Master Oats.

But he later parted company with Bailey after Press reports linked him with the trainer's wife.

Williamson went on to form a successful new partnership with trainer Venetia Williams.

And they landed both the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and King George VI Chase with Teeton Mill in 1998.