Their most travelled son is doubtlessly young Gerard who has adopted an almost Calvinistic approach to labour from his days at

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Their most travelled son is doubtlessly young Gerard, who has adopted an almost Calvinistic approach to labour from his days at the feet of notable figures. Colin Hayes, the late, great man of Australian racing, was one inspiration. "Colin was a big man to everyone who knew him, but he had had this heart problem for quite a long time," Butler says. "He was the sort of guy who would do more work in a day than most people manage in a week. He looks as though he might be around for a while, maintaining the family tradition.The Butlers of Co Kildare have been immersed in matters of the turf for generations. Gerard Butler's career is in its infancy, but already he has been noticed.

But then there is much to get excited about. If Compton Admiral wins the International Stakes at York on Tuesday it will be a second win at the highest level following his victory in the other Eclipse at Sandown last month And, what's more, it will not be a shocking result. "That's for magpies," he informs journalists who thus far have chronicled his career most positively. The Irishman has assisted the racing legends Wayne Lukas, Colin Hayes and John Dunlop, and, in only his second season, he has trained Compton Admiral to Group One success. Most persuasive of all though is the air rifle which leans in the corner of his stable office as he addresses visitors It helps you to take him seriously. Later, of course, Mill Reef was to come along and that was the most unforgettable year. Geoff also won the Oaks and Coronation Cup and I'm not sure that any other jockeys have done that.''. GERARD BUTLER is only 33 but he commands instant and warranted respect.

''Even as a jockey he always took a great deal of interest on the training side. He was the one ex- jockey who still enjoyed getting up early in a morning to watch his horses work."Mill Reef's trainer, Ian Balding, said: "Right at the beginning Geoff and I enjoyed success with good horses like Silly Season and Berkeley Springs. The Welshman's understandable failure to equal, as a trainer, the same heights as he had reached in the saddle, was confirmation for the doubters.There was no comment yesterday from his stables, Thirty Acre Barn, a short gallop from Epsom racecourse, as to who has bought the property. In a statement, Lewis, who sent out over 500 winners from the yard, said: "It will be a sad day for my family, my staff and of course for me but the time has come that it is no longer viable for me to carry on training from Thirty Acre Barn.''One of Lewis's biggest training successes was Lake Coniston the 1995 champion sprinter of Europe, although others such as 1983 Grand Prix de Paris winner Yawa, Italian St Leger winner Rough Pearl and 1992 Derby third Silver Wisp kept Lewis in the headlines.One of Lewis's weighing room colleagues, Willie Carson, admitted he was surprised "I'm rather shocked,"Carson said. Lewis, 63, took out a trainer's licence in 1980 after a glorious career as a jockey, including success in 1971 on Mill Reef in the Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Mill Reef was an exceptional colt, but Lewis's skills in the saddle were never fully recognised. GEOFF LEWIS, the rider forever associated with the brilliant Mill Reef, announced yesterday that he will retire from training on 12 September.