3 MINUTES WITH...EMMET BUTTERLEY: As good as Ive had - hes cool and unfluster ed.

Byline: MICHAEL CLOWER

IRELAND has some outstanding apprentices at the moment, notably Chris Hayes, but the one who has hit the headlines in the shortest time is pony racing champion Emmet Butterly. He had his first ride last month, his first winner five days later and has ridden nine winners so far.

He is widely tipped for the top and already has much of the polish and style of a fully-fledged jockey. He celebrated his 17th birthday 12 days ago.

What's your background? My father has a baker's shop in Trim in County Meath and, although we have no family connection with racing, my father always had horses, mostly hunters. I took a liking to them and I've wanted to be a jockey for as long as I can remember. I grew up thinking that racing was a brilliant sport. When did you start in pony racing? When I was 13. I had two winners that summer, and at the same time I was riding out at Tony Martin's at the weekends and in my school holidays. Every day I went there he taught me about race-riding.

There are three pony racing circuits in the country: southern, midlands and northern, which is basically the north of Ireland. I was asked to go up there one day and I kept getting rides. I was twice northern region champion and I rode a total of 190 winners, including the Dingle Derby twice.

How did you start in racing? I joined the apprentices school a year ago. They select a yard for you to join and I was put with Michael Halford on The Curragh. I got my licence last month.

Have you modelled yourself on anyone in particular?

Mick Kinane and Johnny Murtagh are the two who stand out for me, but I haven't set out to look like them or anybody else. I try to ride how it feels right for me. I get the video after every meeting I ride at and see if I could have done anything different or improved on the ride I gave the horse. I always find something. Is weight going to be a problem? My present weight is about 7st 12lb, but I have to work at it and I walk five or six miles every evening. I don't have any specific diet but I have to watch what I eat. I don't eat many sweets, because I've found they are the worst things of all for putting on weight.

What will you do if you get too heavy? I'll go jumping. I schooled horses for Michael Halford over hurdles and fences last winter. It was brilliant experience and taught me an awful lot.

What are your ambitions? To be champion apprentice some day and after that, assuming the weight allows, to be champion jockey.

What does Emmet's boss think of him? Halford says: "Emmet is as good an apprentice as I've ever had. He's cool and unflustered in a race, and he knows instinctively what to do. All his pony racing winners give him a big advantage, because other apprentices are going to be a long time getting the race-riding experience he already has. Also, he is not big-headed in any way.

He's just the same today as he was when he first walked into the yard."