'He did his money twice!' - Sir Mark Prescott on the dangers of too much gossip

Newmarket is alive with tips and gossip all year round, but particularly on racedays when visitors can often end up with three live ones in the same race.

Sir Mark Prescott is not known for sharing information of that kind – but the master of Heath House did recently regale me with an amusing tale of what did happen when word got out about a two-year-old from his yard.

Prescott says: "When I first took over at Heath House in 1970, I inherited this old boy Yorkie, who liked a bet and a drink. He must have been nearly 70, but I used to look after him from time to time by putting him on a good two-year-old.