Life story: Talented horse trainer Tony Prendergast dedicated life to racing and animals
The legendary Canterbury trainer spent almost every waking hour looking after the animals he treated as if they were a part of his family.
Former Trackside presenter and friend Greg O’Connor said in a eulogy read at Prendergast’s funeral that the trainer was an animal lover who was revered within the racing community for his ability with horses.
“I’m absolutely adamant that Tony Prendergast was one of god's gifts, very few people that come into your life had the respect that he had.”
Prendergast was a happy man with a great sense of humour, who was always “quick to give you a quip or a slap with the race book or a snipe about rugby”.
“He always had time for you and he always had a smile, and he just wanted to make people happy, absolutely he did that,” O’Connor said.
Prendergast died on August 16, aged 84.
He was the fourth of six boys to parents Bill and Sara in Middlemarch, Otago, on June 8, 1936, and grew up in nearby Hyde.
After leaving school, Prendergast worked as a manager and musterer on farms around Macraes Flat and Moonlight.
Prendergast grew up around horses. His father raced standardbreds and his brother Dick was a successful harness trainer.
His journey to becoming a trainer began when he took out an owner-trainer licence and became an amateur rider, making his debut in the 1964-65 season with 9-year-old maiden Rutanui.
Prendergast trained Rutanui by using him to muster cattle on the East Otago farm he was managing at the time.
The training paid off and Rutanui won an over 1700 metre race in Cromwell at odds of 67/1. He won again two days later when he ran in the over 2000m race.
Prendergast then moved to Wingatui in Mosgiel, where he became a stable foreman for prominent Otago horse trainer Hec Anderton.
In 1970, Prendergast married Lyn McDonald at the St Mary’s Catholic church in Mosgiel. The pair had two daughters together: Jo-Anne and Kerry.
After marrying, Prendergast was employed by prominent Dunedin horse owner, breeder, trainer and transport operator Stan McKay to drive floats and break in his horses.
He boosted his income by working the night shift at the Mosgiel Woollen Mill.
Prendergast and Lyn moved to Canterbury in 1983. They were both passionate about horses and began training together from their home, known as Zetland Lodge, in West Melton.
The couple had 476 career wins during their partnership.
An early star for Prendergast was Lomond Queen, who was the dam of Queen's Pal, one of the best horses for his stable. Queen's Pal won 14 races, including eight as a 3-year-old, from 41 starts.
Eleven of her wins were in black-type races, including a third in the group one New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). She also won a South Island Filly of the Year title.
St James was another stable star, winning 19 races, including five stakes races, a win in Brisbane, and a third placing in the 1989 Hong Kong Cup.
Prendergast rated horse Mr Ay Bee above the rest.
“Mr Ay Bee is the best we have had – by a country mile. He could do anything,” he said in an interview with NZ Thoroughbred Racing last year.
Mr Ay Bee, who was part-owned by Prendergast, won 19 races, despite having injury problems, and was runner-up in a Brisbane Cup.
He also won six successive races as a 5-year-old and excelled in his autumn campaign.
Prendergast’s final win was with 8-year-old Who Dares Win at the Timaru Cup in December. Who Dares Win had 58 starts under Prendergast’s tenure and 10 wins.
Jan Cameron met Prendergast in 1983, when she was 14. She spent the next six years doing a jockey apprenticeship at his West Melton stables.
She said Prendergast was a "master" when it came to training and caring for both his horses and his apprentices.
"He took everything in his stride and would explain a lot to me and [I] learnt so much from watching him. He was wonderful, thorough and always kind."
She said Prendergast was a talented trainer and particularly skilful at breaking in even the most stubborn horses.
"He always got the best out of them, and they worked well for him. We had some tough nuts in those days.”
He had a “wonderful” connection with horses and “really loved them”.
"I always have memories coming into the barn, and he'd pull up the door and all of the horses would stick their head out and look and he'd be whistling along and patting them on the head. Every horse would look forward to him coming in there."
Cameron said Prendergast would be remembered for his immense work ethic and composure under pressure.
"He was like a father figure to me, and I was a bit of a handful sometimes, but he never lost his cool.
"I think he got the best out of everyone because everyone liked him so much, and he was so genuine."
Prendergast also loved rugby and was an ardent supporter of the Highlanders. He enjoyed listening to traditional Irish music, had a passion for cars and was known to be a bit of a practical joker.
Daughter Jo-Anne Prendergast-Lory said her father was a “master craftsman in his field”.
“Dad was meticulous in everything that he did. He spoke well and kindly to everyone, he was generous to a fault [and] he not only loved his horses but probably all animals.”
Prendergast is survived by his wife Lyn, two daughters Jo-Anne and Kerry, two grandsons and a great-granddaughter.
