Christopher Bernard Catlin was born in Barnet on 6 December 6 1981, the son of a Ford car worker.
[2] He attended the British Racing School and after initially being apprenticed to Ken Ivory, he joined Mick Channon shortly after leaving in 1998.
At Channon's, he earned the nickname "the Cat", for moving around the place quietly and unobtrusively, as well as because of his name.
That July, he handed in his licence to join Godolphin as a work rider.
Catlin said he admired Prescott for his professionalism and was grateful to Channon for giving him a chance at a crucial stage of his career.