Kevin Prendergast: Legendary Irish horse racing trainer dies aged 92, two weeks before birthday; cause of death

His death on Friday, June 20, comes exactly 45 years to the day after the passing of his father, Paddy ‘Darkie’ Prendergast, another towering figure in Irish racing, according to Racing Post. His cause of death is not yet known.

Prendergast’s career spanned more than 60 years, during which he trained over 2,000 winners, including multiple Classic and Group 1 champions. He saddled his first winner, Zara, in 1963 at the now-defunct Phoenix Park.

His breakthrough came in 1972 when the grey filly Pidget won the Irish 1,000 Guineas at 20-1, followed by victories in the Pretty Polly Stakes and the Irish St Leger. He won another Irish St Leger in 1973 with Conor Pass, and in 1977, Prendergast made history by becoming just the third Irish trainer, after his father and Vincent O'Brien, to win the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket with Nebbiolo, beating The Minstrel into third.

In the 1990s, Oscar Schindler brought him back-to-back Irish St Leger wins in 1996 and 1997, and his final Classic victory came with Awtaad in the 2016 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

In more recent years, Prendergast scaled back operations and sold his Friarstown Stables on the Curragh. His final winner was Copie Conforme, ridden by longtime ally Chris Hayes, at Bellewstown in August 2023.

Leading tributes, fellow Curragh trainer Dermot Weld told the Racing Post: "He was a legend of his lifetime. Not only was he a wonderful trainer, but every single one of his horses was always turned out beautifully. 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."

Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, speaking from Royal Ascot, said: "Kevin was a very special man. It's desperately sad news and he will be missed by everyone. 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."

Born in Australia on July 5, 1932, Kevin Prendergast was the son of one of Ireland’s greatest trainers and carried on the family legacy with distinction. He began as an amateur jockey and later served as assistant to his father before taking out his own licence in 1963.

His major wins include victories in the Irish 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, Irish St Leger, Phoenix Stakes, Moyglare Stud Stakes, Pretty Polly Stakes, Tattersalls Gold Cup, Matron Stakes, and the National Stakes, among others. His list of top horses includes Pidget, Oscar Schindler, Rebelline, Awtaad, Miss Beatrix, and Madhmoon, who was runner-up in the 2019 Derby.