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Racing TV Podcast: Sir Mark Prescott on the £2.9m gamble of a lifetime
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sun 1 Nov 2026
In the latest episode of the Racing TV Podcast, Tom Bull joins Dan Barber at Heath House for an afternoon with Sir Mark Prescott.
Sir Mark tells the stories of the jockey who inspired him to go racing, the trainers who started out at Heath House, and why he’s only had three stable jockeys in 57 years.
And he also reveals all about one of the great punts landed in the last 50 years: Pasternak.
The trainer recalled: "He was one of the last of the real big handicap gambles, engineered by Graham Rock who is sadly missed.
"The bet was that Pasternak would win the two big races that year – the Magnet and the Cambridgeshire – and Rock struck the bet on behalf of everybody a year before the first Magnet.
"I think they won £2.9 million!
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"I trained the second as well, Rudimental, which was owned by Cheveley Park.
"When the gallop was led before the race, Pasternak won the gallop but he wasn't far ahead of Rudimental.
"Rock was staying and said to me "You're not going to run that ******* thing in the Cambridgeshire are you?!"
"I said: "yes I'm going to ******* run it!"
"It was a beautiful day for the race and Pasternak was running away, George Duffield was there a bit too early, and he got a bit lost in the mist hitting the rising ground.
"John Lowe was very bright, and he switched Rudimental to the stands rail so he wouldn't give Pasternak any help.
As he switched, it looked like he had got him bevause of the angle.
"Instead of screaming and shouting, Rock tapped me on the leg and said to me: "I hope you're not going to **** this up old man!"
"It was one of those days where it all came together."
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