TACTICALLY astute, a supreme stylist and strong in the finish, it was little wonder that Norman Williamson was so popular that his 30 Grade 1 successes came courtesy of 16 different trainers. They ranged from David Nicholson to Edward O’Grady, with trainers such as Jonjo O’Neill, Howard Johnson, Noel Meade, Ted Walsh and Richard Fahey in between. Venetia Williams provided the most top-level wins with six.

It is more than 22 years now since Williamson recorded the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double on the Kim Bailey-trained duo Alderbrook and Master Oats. The young Cork rider had established himself as a special talent by that point but the Cheltenham Festival of 1995 catapulted him to the stratosphere, ensuring immortality in the lore of jump racing. He remains the last rider to complete the double and was leading rider that year to boot, with four winners.