Kevin Prendergast | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kevin Prendergast Puts Famous Friarstown Stables Up For Sale

Legendary trainer Kevin Prendergast has announced that his famous Friarstown Stables, from which Classic winners Nebbiolo, Pidget and more recently Awtaad have been trained from, will be offered up for sale.

Prendergast, who turned 91 this week and marked the occasion by sending out Profit Refused to win at Roscommon, quashed any talk of retirement and said that he would make provisions to carry on training at another location if and when Friarstown is sold.

However, Prendergast has admitted that coming to the decision to sell the 250-acre facility valued at €7.5 million on the outskirts of the Curragh, where he has been based since 1964, was hugely difficult and fraught with emotion

“When you get to my age, you begin to think, 'this can't go on forever'”, he told TDN Europe on Friday. “I have seven daughters and none of them are very involved in the yard so I thought it was the best thing to do to put it up for sale.

“I find it very difficult to give up something that I've loved as much as training. I've been training all my life and have loved it and worked very hard at it. But there comes a time where you have to make decisions that are not very happy ones.”

Asked if that meant that he had plans to retire, Prendergast said, “Not really, but, if the place is sold, we will have to try and make other arrangements. We've only got 12 horses in full work.”

Prendergast is a much-loved figure in Irish racing. That was evidenced when Awtaad sparked rare scenes of emotion at the Curragh after landing the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2016.

As much as Prendergast says that he prefers to concentrate on the future rather than gaze on past victories, he counts winning the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in 1977 with Nebbiolo as one of his happiest days in the game.

“We've had an awful lot of luck and everything went very well for us. Friarstown has been a lucky place for us thank God. Winning an English Classic was very good. Unfortunately we didn't win an English Derby, we were second in it with Madhmoon, but those would be the outstanding memories.”

“Ardross is probably the best horse that I ever trained from here. He was beaten just a short head in an Arc as a six-year-old after I sold him to Henry Cecil. There's a lot of good memories.”

He added, “Friarstown is just a lovely place, very peaceful, and a great place to train horses. When my father [Patrick] died, I trained out of his place in Rossmore Lodge before coming here in 1964. I'm here ever since.”

Prendergast may not be finished sending out big-race winners from Friarstown just yet. Roscommon scorer Profit Refused, who he owns in partnership with Jim Bolger's wife Jackie, is entered up in the G1 Moyglare S. at the Curragh and is reported to be going nicely by the trainer.

He said, “She's a nice filly and hopefully she's progressive. I think that she is. I own her along with Jackie Bolger and we made an entry in the Moyglare for her.”

Asked what the secret was to be still sending out winners at 91, he replied, “There's no secret! You need to be lucky in life. If you don't have your health, you have nothing. Your health is your wealth.

“We've got a few great kicks in life. Awtaad winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas was another. We lost a very good owner not so long after that, Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. I tell you, he was one solid man and was with us for 35 years and we never had a cross word.

“I must say, Tony and Chryss O'Reilly have also been great supporters of mine for over 30 years as well. We've had a lot of luck. Some great days.”

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New Breeze-up Alliance Of Halpin And Davis Enjoys Early Success At Dundalk

The spotlight was cast on the burgeoning breeze-up operation of jockeys Gary Halpin and Sean Davis, best known for riding winners rather than producing them, when their graduate Song For Whoever (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) ran out an impressive winner of the opening six-furlong maiden at Dundalk on Friday evening.

Song For Whoever, who Halpin and Davis bought for €28,000 at the Goffs Sportsman's Sale last year before selling to Howson & Holdsworth Bloodstock for £42,000 at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale, was getting off the mark at the third attempt for trainer John O'Donoghue in the colours of Genesis Thoroughbreds.

Although he was consigned by Tally-Ho Stud at the Goffs UK Breeze-up Sale, Song For Whoever was sourced and produced by the riders, who will be consigning under the name GS Bloodstock from their new base at Ulundi Lodge on the Curragh next year.

“Your judgment is on the line–you are telling people what you think the horses can do and it's important that they back you up,” – Gary Halpin

A delighted Halpin said on Friday evening, “We bought him at the Sportsman's Sale under Rushway Stables for €28,000. We were looking for something that could breeze and he looked sharp enough to do that. We had him on our list and Roger O'Callaghan, who we have worked closely with for a number of years, had seen him as well. It was a help that he liked him.”

He added, “I prepped him at Kevin Prendergast's yard in Friarstown on the Curragh. He was there all winter and did most of his early work while I was riding out in Kevin's and he went from there to Doncaster where he sold to Matt Holdsworth for Noel Hayes. We were very fortunate that Tally-Ho were happy to consign him for us.

“He was actually popular enough to a point at the sales. George Boughey and Mark McStay had a go on him. I think George was the underbidder and I'm pretty sure that Mark was on him for a long while as well. The right people were interested in him, thankfully.”

Halpin enjoyed his best ever season as a rider in 2016 when partnering 36 winners domestically while his biggest success came aboard the Ross O'Sullivan-trained Rocky Sky (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) in the Listed Salsibil S. at Naas last term.

Davis has returned to Ireland after a successful spell in Britain, where he rode 56 winners in 2019, and alongside Halpin, will continue to ride whilst preparing the breezers.

However, the name Halpin will not be seen on a racecard anytime soon, with Friday's victory proving a timely tonic for the man sidelined with a fractured jaw.

He explained, “We've 11 in at the moment but there are a few more due back to us in the next few days and we will add another one or two in January. We are looking at having around 15 2-year-olds to breeze next year.

“Sean and I will consign under GS Bloodstock next year. It's exciting. Especially now that everything is cantering and broken in, we can see them progress. Unfortunately, I'm not riding them myself at the minute because I'm out of action with a fractured jaw, but I'm getting to see plenty on the ground.

“I think we've amassed a bunch of horses who are going to get to a good level. The Inns Of Court (Ire) colt that we bought at Doncaster has had three updates since we got him. He's now a half-brother to Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who has done really well to be multiple stakes-placed for George Boughey and Highclere Thoroughbreds.

“She's one we'll be keeping a close eye on next year. Mick Fitzpatrick sold her for 115,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale in April so, all things being equal, we'd be hoping to get our own lad to the Craven safe and sound.”

On the rest of the breeze-up battalion, he added, “We've a lovely Cotai Glory (GB) colt who we gave €65,000 for at Tattersalls Ireland. He was consigned by Tally-Ho and is out of a half-sister to Fairyland (Ire). He's going to be exciting.

“We've been sent a Kodiac (GB) filly who's out of a half-sister to Middle Park S. winner Supremacy (Ire) and there's a nice Dandy Man (Ire) colt from the family of Slade Power (Ire). We've a nice bunch and there's a couple of others there as well.”

Asked how riding winners compares with producing them, Halpin said, “It's totally different. It's a different feeling altogether. Your judgment is on the line–you are telling people what you think the horses can do and it's important that they back you up. As a jockey, your judgment has to be right when you ride a horse work or ride it in a race, your feedback has to be good. This is a little bit more added pressure. It's a different sort of pressure.”

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Bolger Sends ‘Safe Hands’ Prendergast a Filly to Train

Two legends of Irish racing will join forces for the first time this season after Jim Bolger revealed that he has a 2-year-old filly by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) in training with Kevin Prendergast.

Bolger gave €31,000 for the recently named Roman Moon (Ire) after Prendergast recommended the filly at the Goffs Orby Sale last September and she is set to break new ground by becoming his first runner with the Friarstown operator.

Roman Moon will carry the white and purple colours of Bolger's wife Jackie, once carried to major glories by Teofilo (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and more recently Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), when she hits the track this summer.

Speaking about the reasoning in sending the filly to the 89-year-old handler, Bolger told TDN Europe, “It was Kevin who suggested that we buy the filly and, when we did, we said that we would leave her with him knowing that she would be in safe hands.

“If I remember correctly, I was sitting beside Kevin when she walked into the ring and he told me that he was thinking of buying her on spec. Clare Manning [Bolger's granddaughter] also liked her and, when what she told me was confirmed by Kevin, I told her to go ahead and buy the filly.

“I decided there and then that, if Kevin was interested in training her for me, he could have her. She cost €35,000 so is qualified for all of those auction races and will carry Jackie's colours.”

Bolger added: “Kevin is very happy with her. You could say that Kevin is a victim of his age, and I suppose myself to a lesser extent, as not too many people want to send a man in his late 80s a racehorse. But, as far as Kevin is concerned, there are few better than him at his craft.”

Prendergast outlined his ambition to continue training “until the man upstairs calls it all to a halt” to the TDN Europe last week and Bolger's Roman Moon will form part of a 15-horse string.

Bolger's numbers are understood to be closer to 100 or more, the majority of which are owned by himself, with the wheels of his famous Coolcullen-based training establishment kept turning by the trainer's breeding arm of the operation.

It is a truly unique way of running things, with Bolger deriving just as much interest from breeding winners as he does in training them.

“One is dependent on the other but, as far as enjoyment is concerned, I suppose it would be 50-50. I have 80 broodmares and I would need 60-70 of those to go in foal every year in order to keep the wheel turning as I own 95% of the horses I train,” he explained.

“The majority of my mares will go to my own stallions but we use outside stallions as well. We could send up to 20 mares to outside stallions every year and the dam [Halla Na Saoire (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire})] of Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) has been covered by Mehmas (Ire). She also has a yearling by Make Believe (GB).”

Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), best known for getting the better of his stablemate Poetic Flare in a gripping Irish 2,000 Guineas last May, has been kept in training as a 4-year-old.

Just under 12 months on from that heroic display at the Curragh, Bolger recalls of how he wasn't best pleased to see his better-fancied Poetic Flare beaten but, any pain felt in the defeat soon disappeared when he realised he had the dam (Halla Na Saoire) standing out in the field.

“I was disappointed initially when Mac Swiney beat Poetic Flare in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last year but, when I realised that I had the dam of the winner standing out in a paddock, it made it a bit easier,” he said, before sharing details on some of stallions he supported this year.

“Along with Make Believe and Mehmas, we sent mares to Profitable (Ire), Blue Point (Ire) and Belardo (Ire). I sent 25 mares to Teofilo, about a dozen to New Approach and we supported Dawn Approach as well.”

Mac Swiney may be the best older horse Bolger has in training and is firmly on course to kick-start his 4-year-old campaign in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh later this month but the trainer has Classic aspirations for TDN Rising Star Wexford Native and Boundless Ocean.

He said, “Good ground will make a huge difference to Wexford Native (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and if we get good ground in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, he could go there. His proper trip will end up being 10f or 1m4f–he could stay the Irish Derby trip.”

Bolger added, “Boundless Ocean (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was too keen [when 13th in the 2,000 Guineas] at Newmarket but we think we've got him settled at home now and will pick a race for him soon. He could go for the Irish 2000 Guineas but I would be in no rush to run the two of them against each other.”

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Prendergast keen to keep going after Shadwell boost

Less than a fortnight after it was announced that legendary trainer Kevin Prendergast would remain on the Shadwell roster, the 89-year-old operator confirmed that he was not the retiring kind and spoke for the first time since Hamdan Al Maktoum's passing about his long and successful relationship with the hugely influential owner.

The Shadwell operation has been winding down gradually since Hamdan Al Maktoum passed away just over a year ago and, while major operators like Dermot Weld and Sir Michael Stoute will no longer train any of the horses on what has now become a much-reduced string, Prendergast has spoken of what it means to him to have been left on the training roster. Mark and Charlie Johnston, Ed Dunlop, Brian Meehan and Freddy Head were also axed during the restructuring process.

While Prendergast did not receive any Shadwell 2-year-olds this year, he will train up to five older horses for the team, along with roughly ten others for different owners, which according to the multiple Classic-winning trainer, is just enough to keep things ticking over.
“We only have 15 horses for the season, that's all, but we've enough,” Prendergast said. “We have had a good innings and we'll keep going until the man upstairs calls it all to a halt.”

Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) sent the Curragh into a tizzy when carrying the famous blue and white silks of Shadwell to victory in that memorable Irish 2,000 Guineas of 2016 and that, along with the gallant effort of Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) to finish second in the 2019 Derby, were put forward as the highlights by Prendergast in a relationship that spanned over three decades.

“We were together for over 30 years,” Prendergast said. “We had some great days. We won an Irish Guineas together with Awtaad and were probably a bit unlucky not to win the Derby with Madhmoon. They were the highlights but we had a long and successful relationship together-a lot of great days.

“It was disappointing that Madhmoon got a little setback after finishing second in the Derby. I had a lot of Group and Listed winners for him but, to be second in a Derby and to win an Irish Guineas, they were the highlights.

“He didn't go racing in Ireland, which was a pity, but he used to visit the yard two or three times a year. I don't think he came racing in Ireland for the past 20 years before he died.”

Prendergast added, “He was a proper gentleman. He was extremely modest, very easy to work for and he took the good news and the bad news just the same. If something went wrong, he just moved on from it and was very forgiving and appreciative of all the work everyone did.
“As he said himself, the good days were better than the bad days, but the bad days were made easier when you had him in your corner.”

Prendergast has yet to send out a winner from just 12 runners this season but has a number of entries over the coming days, including the 103-rated and Shadwell-owned Monaasib (GB) (Bobby's Kitten). Regardless of how this season goes, the trainer, who will be forever remembered for managing the career of the 1977 Guineas winner Nebbiolo (GB) (Yellow Gold {GB}) and many others, believes the last of his Shadwell string will leave his Friarstown base by the end of the campaign.

“I was the first trainer in Ireland to train for Hamdan Al Maktoum,” he reflected. “Dermot Weld got some horses more recently and, when they didn't have enough horses to go around, I was left with the horses that I had, which was very good.

“Most of them were sold off, but we were left with four or five and, by the end of this season I would imagine that they will be weeded out as well. We didn't get any two-year-olds.”

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