Sir Mark Prescott, 3rd Baronet (born 1948), is an English

race horse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic ...

trainer with over 2000 winners to his name, including

Alpinista Alpinista (foaled 16 February 2017) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed some promise as a juvenile in 2019 when she won a maiden race on her debut and finished fourth in the Prix d'Aumale. In the following year she won the Upavon ...

, winner of the 2022

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racec ...

. He is based at Heath House Stables, an historic 50 box yard at the bottom of Warren Hill in Newmarket.

Background

Prescott is the son of Conservative Party MP

Stanley Prescott (William Robert) Stanley Prescott (25 April 1912 – 6 June 1962) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge. He was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Darwen constitue ...

and grandson of

Sir William Prescott, 1st Baronet Sir William Henry Prescott, 1st Baronet, CBE, DL (1874 – 15 June 1945) was a British engineer and Conservative Party politician. The son of John Prescott, he initially studied law and was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1909. He subsequen ...

, who was also a Conservative MP. He attended

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (sc ...

and in 1965 inherited the Prescott baronetcy from his uncle. Prescott left school aged fifteen, with plans to become a jockey. He was riding in a race at

Wye Wye may refer to: Place names *Wye, Kent, a village in Kent, England ** Wye College, agricultural college, part of University of London before closure in 2009 **Wye School, serving the above village ** Wye railway station, serving the above villa ...

in 1965 when he broke his back in a fall, resulting in a nine-month hospital stay. He then joined the yard of Jack Waugh at Heath House Stables and took over the licence on Waugh's retirement in 1970.

Career

In a career spanning more than fifty years, Prescott has trained over 2,000 winners. Although a

British Classic The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their o ...

has eluded him, he has won a French Classic as well as numerous

Group races Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as, in Europe, the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l' ...

and major handicaps. Notable amongst his horses have been Spindrifter (winner of 13 races as a two-year-old in 1980), sprinter Pivotal (winner of the

King's Stand Stakes The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled ...

and the

Nunthorpe Stakes The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is sche ...

in 1996),

Confidential Lady ''Confidential Lady'' is a 1939 British comedy drama film, directed by Arthur B. Woods and starring Ben Lyon and Jane Baxter. It is now classed as a lost film.Prix de Diane The Prix de Diane, sometimes referred to as the French Oaks, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 2,100 met ...

in 2006), Marsha (winner of the

in 2017), and multiple Group 1 winning sisters Alborada and Albanova. His greatest prize came when

, owned and bred by

Kirsten Rausing Kirsten Elisbet Rausing, DL (born 6 June 1952) is a Swedish businesswoman, who owns a third of the holding company Tetra Laval and sits on the company board alongside other members of her family. She was listed as the 150th richest individua ...

won the 2022

under

Luke Morris Luke Morris (born 20 October 1988) is an English jockey who competes in flat racing. Background Morris comes from a racing background, his grandfather Joe Tate, uncle Jason Tate and cousin Ryan Tate all being jockeys. He was born in Oxford ...

. "It has been just a marvellous journey – I'm lucky to get a good one at this stage of my career" said Prescott of Alpinista after her victory. In the early days of his of career Prescott employed assistant trainers for a period of two years but since 1999 William Butler has occupied the position and will take over the licence when Prescott retires. His former assistants include leading trainer

William Haggas William Haggas is a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer, based at Somerville Lodge stables in Newmarket, Suffolk. He is the son-in-law of the multiple champion jockey Lester Piggott. He was educated at Harrow and played cricket at Lord' ...

George Duffield __NOTOC__ George Duffield MBE (born 30 November 1946) is an English retired flat racing jockey. He served a seven-year apprenticeship with Jack Waugh, and rode his first winner on 15 June 1967 at Great Yarmouth Racecourse on a horse called ...

was stable jockey at Heath House for 31 seasons from 1974, winning 830 races for Prescott. He was succeeded by

Seb Sanders Seb Sanders (born 25 September 1971 in Birmingham, England) is a former flat race jockey. Sanders was British Champion Flat Jockey in 2007, a title he shared with Jamie Spencer. Early life Born in Birmingham, Sanders' father, a plumber introd ...

, with Luke Morris riding as first jockey to the yard since 2012.

Personal life

Prescott is unmarried. His interests include blood sports such as

hare coursing Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with greyhounds and other sighthounds, which chase the hare by sight, not by scent. In some countries, it is a legal, competitive activity in which dogs are tested on their ability to run, overtake and tu ...

fox hunting Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of h ...

and

bullfighting Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms w ...

. On 1 September 2009, Prescott and television cook

Clarissa Dickson-Wright Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson Wright (24 June 1947 – 15 March 2014) was an English celebrity cook, television personality, writer, businesswoman, and former barrister. She was be ...

received an

absolute discharge Absolute may refer to: Companies * Absolute Entertainment, a video game publisher * Absolute Radio, (formerly Virgin Radio), independent national radio station in the UK * Absolute Software Corporation, specializes in security and data risk manag ...

from Scarborough

Magistrates' Court A magistrates' court is a lower court where, in several jurisdictions, all criminal proceedings start. Also some civil matters may be dealt with here, such as family proceedings. Courts * Magistrates' court (England and Wales) * Magistrate's Co ...

after pleading guilty to

whilst attending an event organized by

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurgen ...

Field Trialling Club in March 2007.

Major wins

Great Britain *

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlon ...

- (2) - '' Alborada (1998, 1999) *

Cheveley Park Stakes The Cheveley Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it ...

- (1) - '' Hooray (2010)'' *

- (1) '' Pivotal (1996)'' *

Nassau Stakes The Nassau Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong ...

- (2) ''Last Second (1996), Alborada (1998)'' *

- (2) - ''Pivotal (1996), Marsha (2017)'' *

Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 ...

- (1) - ''

(2022)'' ---- France *

Prix de Diane The Prix de Diane, sometimes referred to as the French Oaks, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 2,100 met ...

- (1) - ''

Confidential Lady ''Confidential Lady'' is a 1939 British comedy drama film, directed by Arthur B. Woods and starring Ben Lyon and Jane Baxter. It is now classed as a lost film.Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp The Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,000 metres (about 5 furlongs), ...

- (1) - ''Marsha (2016)'' *

- (1) - ''

(2022)'' *

Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it i ...

- (1) - ''

(2022) '' ---- Germany *

Preis von Europa The Preis von Europa is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Cologne over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place eac ...

- (2) - ''Albanova (2004),

(2021)'' * Rheinland-Pokal / Grosser Preis von Bayern - (2) ''Albanova (2004),

(2021)'' *

Grosser Preis von Berlin The Großer Preis von Berlin, formerly known as the Deutschland-Preis, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Hoppegarten over a distance of 2,400 metres ...

- (2) ''Albanova (2004),

(2021)'' ---- Ireland * Pretty Polly Stakes -(1) - ''Alborada (1998)''

References

1948 births Living people People educated at Harrow School British racehorse trainers Place of birth missing (living people) Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom People from Newmarket, Suffolk {{UK-horseracing-bio-stub