Tuesday 13 August 2019

Sir Mark Prescott & the Story About a Goat

I couldn't help but smile when watching The Secrets of Heath House Stables: Sir Mark Prescott on Osborne Stables

The first of a three-part series giving the Racing Post a behind the scenes tour of Heath House. 

Sir Mark is such a good storyteller and the conversation about a stable goat brings a touch of humour to the daily endeavours keeping each and every racehorse happy. 

It seems that some horses enjoy a companion, a little friend in their box, to keep them occupied. You may have heard of horses going to the races with their buddy goat. Well, this was more of a stay-at-home goat.

Sir Mark Prescott asked his head lad, Colin, to get him a goat to keep one of the horse's company.  Later that day, Colin drove up to the stable in his little car with a goat sitting next to him in the passenger seat. 

They put the goat in the box with the said horse. 

The next day, they opened the door to find the goat stone, cold, dead. 

In the afternoon, Sir Mark Prescott saw an old lady walking across the courtyard, bent over, using sticks. He said to Colin: ''Who on earth is that coming to the stable?''

Colin said: ''It's the old lady, who I asked to borrow the goat!''

Prescott said to the head lad that he had better sort out the problem. 

Colin greeted the old woman with a smile, saying that Sir Mark Prescott was so pleased with the goat that he wanted another one!

The lady came back with the new goat and never asked about the first. 




Related story: 

Sir Mark Prescott has been on the trainers' cold list for some time. Winners as scarce as the mythical beast said to fly up the gallops at Heath House Stables. It's a secret place. Almost Willy Wonka-like in its evolution. It's reputed Sir Mark Prescott stopped a child sucking an Ever-Lasting Gobstopper by tempting him with a large Cuban cigar!

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