Trainer Profile

Date of birth: July 5, 1932

Date of licence: 1963

First winner: Zara, Phoenix Park, May, 1963

Significant horses (selected): Nebbiolo, Pidget, Artique Royale, Northern Treasure, Oscar Schindler, Conor Pass, La Collina, Kingsfort, Termagant, Mores Wells, Miss Beatrix, Mustameet, Rebelline, Verglas, Oscar Schindler, Earl Of Barking, Bradawn Breever, Termagant, Awtaad. 

Did you know:

Kevin Prendergast was bred for success in horse racing, being a son of the legendary “Darkie” Prendergast. Along with Vincent O’Brien, Darkie was one of the first trainers to regularly travel their horses overseas and became the first non-British-based trainer to become Champion Trainer in Britain in 1963, a feat he repeated in the two years that followed. Kevin was born in Australia in 1932 and although educated here, he returned to Australia to begin his racing career before finally settling in Ireland. A leading amateur jockey, he worked as assistant trainer to his father before taking out his own license to train in 1963. Since then, he has won an array of Classic races, the first being with Pidget in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in 1972 and he continues to be a force in Group 1 races well into his sixth decade as a trainer. At Dundalk on September 24^th 2010, Kevin reached the notable milestone of saddling his 2,000^th career winner, Tell The Wind, cementing his position as one of the all-time greats of the Irish training ranks. He has won eight Irish Classics. Along with her Irish 1,000 Guineas success in 1972, Pidget also won the Irish St Leger and Conor Pass won the race the following year. Oscar Schindler was successful in the Irish St Leger on two occasions, in 1996 and 1997. Northern Treasure gave Prendergast his first Irish 2,000 Guineas win in 1976 and Awtaad gave him a second victory in the race 40 years later. Artique Royale was a second Irish 1,000 Guineas winner for Kevin Prendergast in 1981. Kevin's sole English Classic success to date came when Nebbiolo won the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in 1977.