James Prince

James Prince rode for the last time on Friday, March 10 1882. His final mount, Sutler, running in the Kempton Park Grand Hurdle was brought down after half a mile when Glenluce, a very hard puller and ridden by J. Adams, stumbled and fell. Assegai, ridden by Moran, also came down. Both Adams and Moran were comparatively uninjured but James Prince’s thigh was broken and he never raced again.

He had ridden his final winner at Croydon, two days earlier, on the even money favourite Lady Wenlock, which had easily ran away with the Sydenham Hurdle Race over two miles.

James Prince seldom rode over fences though he won quite often on Lucy, one of the best steeplechasers of the day.

With his riding days behind him, he began training, sending out horses from Astley House tables in Lewes. His best horse was possibly Prince Frederick, a ten-year-old bright chestnut with two white stockings behind. Once spoken of as a future Grand National winner, Prince Frederick beat all the best hurdlers of the day in the early 1890s.

Unfortunately, he proved to be a better jockey than a trainer, and on Wednesday 26 July 1899, he appeared before the Lewes Bankruptcy Court for public examination.

He admitted that having been in partnership with his brother George as a trainer for over twenty years, he now had no capital whatsoever.

In July 1900, jockey Harry Escott bought Astley House and began training there. In 1919, he sent out Poethlyn to win the substitute Grand National, known as The War National Steeplechase’ and run at Gatwick. Harry, after a successful career, later retired to Hove.