Mark Prescott
Regarded today as the most astute of trainers, Sir Mark Prescott’s riding career was cut short after just three winners by a broken back at Wye.
Regarded today as the most astute of trainers, Sir Mark Prescott’s riding career was cut short after just three winners by a broken back at Wye.
Sir Mark Prescott, 3rd Baronet, was born on March 3, 1948, the son of a theatre and art critic, from whom inherited the baronetcy. He began his racing career with a three-year spell as a pupil assistant to Devon trainer Sid Kernick. He obtained his amateur rider’s licence when aged 16 and made the perfect start, winning on his first ride in public, a three-horse chase at Wincanton on September 17, 1964, aboard the grey Monarain, which he also owned.
Sir Mark Prescott, 3rd Baronet, was born on March 3, 1948, the son of a theatre and art critic, from whom inherited the baronetcy. He began his racing career with a three-year spell as a pupil assistant to Devon trainer Sid Kernick. He obtained his amateur rider’s licence when aged 16 and made the perfect start, winning on his first ride in public, a three-horse chase at Wincanton on September 17, 1964, aboard the grey Monarain, which he also owned.
He later reflected: “If I could have ten minutes of my life again, that would be the ten minutes I would choose.” He added: “I thought I was the Messiah that National Hunt racing had been waiting for – but it took me two years to ride another winner!”
He later reflected: “If I could have ten minutes of my life again, that would be the ten minutes I would choose.” He added: “I thought I was the Messiah that National Hunt racing had been waiting for – but it took me two years to ride another winner!”
Having waited so long, his second and third winners came within the space of three weeks, courtesy of handicap hurdler Propellent Miss at Warwick and Fontwell in March 1966. But two months later, on May 18, 1966, he broke his back and came close to severing his spinal cord when his mount Pike’s Fancy slipped up on the flat at Wye.
Having waited so long, his second and third winners came within the space of three weeks, courtesy of handicap hurdler Propellent Miss at Warwick and Fontwell in March 1966. But two months later, on May 18, 1966, he broke his back and came close to severing his spinal cord when his mount Pike’s Fancy slipped up on the flat at Wye.
He spent nine months in Ashford Cottage Hospital, in Kent. For the first nine weeks he was unable to speak or swallow or even blink. He remembered: “It’s the most terrible experience, being a prisoner inside your own body with your mind racing. You can’t blink and if they don’t remember to close your eyelids, they stick to your eyeballs.”
He spent nine months in Ashford Cottage Hospital, in Kent. For the first nine weeks he was unable to speak or swallow or even blink. He remembered: “It’s the most terrible experience, being a prisoner inside your own body with your mind racing. You can’t blink and if they don’t remember to close your eyelids, they stick to your eyeballs.”
A further nine months followed in Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital. He recalled. “I came out completely different, really. I came out believing it was desperately important to do everything as well as I could, but equally, to realise it is all completely unimportant in comparison.”
A further nine months followed in Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital. He recalled. “I came out completely different, really. I came out believing it was desperately important to do everything as well as I could, but equally, to realise it is all completely unimportant in comparison.”
He became assistant trainer to Jack Waugh at Heath House, Newmarket, and took over running the yard in 1970 when Waugh retired. He is now Newmarket’s senior trainer and is hugely respected as one whose horses are given time and not rushed.
He became assistant trainer to Jack Waugh at Heath House, Newmarket, and took over running the yard in 1970 when Waugh retired. He is now Newmarket’s senior trainer and is hugely respected as one whose horses are given time and not rushed.
Although yet to taste British Classic success, his list of almost 2,000 winners includes many Group 1 victories, such as back-to-back Champion Stakes with Alborada (1988/89), and the Nunthorpe Stakes twice with Pivotal (1996) and Marsha (2017). Albanova won three Group 1 races in 2004, while Confidential Lady won the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) in 2005. Marsha won the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye in 2016. Other top-grade races to come his way include the King’s Stand, Nassau and Sun Chariot Stakes.
Although yet to taste British Classic success, his list of almost 2,000 winners includes many Group 1 victories, such as back-to-back Champion Stakes with Alborada (1988/89), and the Nunthorpe Stakes twice with Pivotal (1996) and Marsha (2017). Albanova won three Group 1 races in 2004, while Confidential Lady won the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) in 2005. Marsha won the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye in 2016. Other top-grade races to come his way include the King’s Stand, Nassau and Sun Chariot Stakes.
He trained prolific winners Wizard King (nine Group races), Spindrifter (thirteen wins as a two-year-old including ten consecutively) and Masafi (seven wins in seventeen days). He is also renowned for being the most skilful ‘placer’ of horses and has won most of the major handicaps, including the Ebor, Cambridgeshire and Victoria Cup.
He trained prolific winners Wizard King (nine Group races), Spindrifter (thirteen wins as a two-year-old including ten consecutively) and Masafi (seven wins in seventeen days). He is also renowned for being the most skilful ‘placer’ of horses and has won most of the major handicaps, including the Ebor, Cambridgeshire and Victoria Cup.
He achieved his greatest training success with Kirsten Rousing's home-bred grey mare Alpinista, who went unbeaten in eight starts during 2021 and 2022, ridden throughout by Luke Morris. In 2021 she followed her victory in the Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood by winning the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks and three German Group 1s: the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten, the Preis von Europa at Cologne, and the Grosser Preis von Bayern at Munich. She began her 2022 campaign in July when landing the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, then added the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks before crowning her career with victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
He achieved his greatest training success with Kirsten Rousing's home-bred grey mare Alpinista, who went unbeaten in eight starts during 2021 and 2022, ridden throughout by Luke Morris. In 2021 she followed her victory in the Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood by winning the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks and three German Group 1s: the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten, the Preis von Europa at Cologne, and the Grosser Preis von Bayern at Munich. She began her 2022 campaign in July when landing the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, then added the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks before crowning her career with victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Sir Mark Prescott’s three winning rides under National Hunt rules were:
Sir Mark Prescott’s three winning rides under National Hunt rules were:
1. Monarain, Wincanton, September 17, 1964
1. Monarain, Wincanton, September 17, 1964
2. Propellent Miss, Warwick, March 5, 1966
2. Propellent Miss, Warwick, March 5, 1966
3. Propellent Miss, Fontwell Park, March 23, 1966
3. Propellent Miss, Fontwell Park, March 23, 1966