Twenty year old apprentice Aaron Mackay leaves Ireland next week to take up a position with leading French trainer Nicolas Clement.

Mackay had been attached to the John Joseph Murphy yard and rode five winners last season including a double at Killarney in August on High Altitude and Marlborough Sound.

The Cork native is relishing the opportunity of joining a top yard in France where he will be one of two apprentices in the stable.

Mackay said: "When Nicolas Rang me only last week saying he'd love to take me on and that'd I'd be one of two apprentices in the yard I couldn't turn it down, especially when his current apprentice will lose their claim in the next month and I'll be the only claiming apprentice there then so it makes sense to make the move. He seems very keen to have me over there and hopefully everything goes to plan.

"At present I can only say a few words in French but I've started watching the TV show "Friends" in French before I go to bed and it's mad how much you learn from just watching an episode a night so I'm determined to pick it up as quickly as possible.

"My goals from now until the end of the year are hopefully to ride a winner or two and build up a strong relationship with Nicolas Clement and get as much experience I can."

"I'd like to thank John, George, Billy and everyone at Highfort for all their help and my jockey coach Warren O'Connor.

"Gavin Hernon, an Irish-born trainer in Chantilly, helped arrange my link up with Nicolas and I am very grateful to him also.

"I'm naturally very light and can ride as light as 8st with no real struggle."