Amid the Royal Ascot excitement, last Thursday afternoon brought the sad news that one of the most widely respected trainers in the sport had passed away.
Successful on the biggest stages on both sides of the Irish Sea, Kevin Prendergast died on the 20th of June – 45 years to the day after the death of his father, Paddy “Darkie” Prendergast. And so, a training dynasty spanning 85 years comes to an end.
From Australia to County Kildare
A proud Irishman through and through, Kevin’s life couldn’t have begun much further away from his ultimate home in County Kildare. The future training legend drew his first breath in Australia, where his father, Paddy, plied his trade as a jockey in 1932.
Kevin moved to Ireland in his teens but later returned down under to spend five formative years working with trainer Frank Dalton in Sydney. Returning to Ireland once more, Kevin enjoyed considerable success as an amateur rider, with his biggest win coming aboard Rising Spring in the 1959 edition of the Galway Corinthian Stakes.
Serving as assistant to his British and Irish Champion Trainer father between 1956 and 1962, Kevin set out on his own in 1963. His first winner arrived in March of that year, as he trained and rode Zara to success at the now-defunct Phoenix Park racecourse. Showing an early propensity to travel in pursuit of glory, Hul A Hul provided his first British victory at Chester in May 1964.
Whilst those initial triumphs came at a relatively low level, it wasn’t long before Prendergast made his presence felt on a much bigger stage. 1964 brought a first significant handicap win, as Perhaps So claimed the Rockingham Stakes. Within a decade, Kevin was a regular visitor to the Classic winner’s enclosure.
Kevin Prendergast Classic Wins
There may be trainers with more Classic wins on their CV, but there can’t be too many with a 44-year gap between their first and their last.
- Irish 2,000 Guineas – Northern Treasure (1976), Awtaad (2016)
- Irish 1,000 Guineas – Pidget (1972), Arctique Royale (1981)
- Irish St. Leger – Pidget (1972), Conor Pass (1973), Oscar Schindler (1996, 1997)
- 2,000 Guineas – Nebbiolo (1977)
- Italian 2,000 Guineas – Alabama Jacks (1999)
Highlights on the above list include Pidget, who also claimed the Pretty Polly Stakes during a spectacular 1972 campaign, and the tough-as-teak Oscar Schindler, who ended a near 20-year Classic hiatus with back-to-back wins in the Irish St. Leger.
However, the most significant of all was Nebbiolo’s win in the 1977 Newmarket 2000 Guineas. Thanks to the exploits of Aidan O’Brien, modern racing fans are familiar with an Irish trainer making off with the Classic prizes. However, that wasn’t the case back in 1977. Before the success of Nebbiolo, only two Irish trainers had ever won the Newmarket Classic – the legendary Vincent O’Brien, and Kevin’s father, Paddy.
Irish Trainers Pay Tribute
Whilst continuing to train into his 90s, Kevin understandably operated on a smaller scale in his latter years and sold his long-time home at Friarstown Stables. His final win came in August 2024, as Copie Conforme came home in front in a handicap event at Bellewstown. By that stage, this legend of the training game had amassed many millions in earnings for connections and stormed past the 2,000 winner mark.
Kevin was well-loved by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, and his death triggered tributes from the biggest names in the training game.
Veteran handler Dermot Weld stated:
“He was a wonderful horseman and an outstanding trainer, and he will be sadly missed on the Curragh. I would like to send out my sympathies to Kevin’s family. He was a great man and a great trainer.”
Aidan O’Brien, meanwhile, ensured that he found time in his hectic Royal Ascot schedule to pay his respects.
“He was brilliant to me when we were starting out and was always great for advice. If you wanted to sound him out about anything, he was always great to bounce things off. The best way to describe him is special — he was a special man.”