8:00AM, MAY 12 2021
At 88, and soon to be 89, Kevin Prendergast says everything is a bonus but there could be a big juicy one at the Curragh on Sunday week as the legendary trainer has told the Racing Post he wouldn t swap Mehnah for anything else in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas.
It is nearing the fifth anniversary of Prendergast s most recent Classic winner – Awtaad in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2016 – but in Mehnah he is convinced he has another genuine Classic contender. If victorious she would be his ninth.
The daughter of Frankel has had only two starts and is unlucky not to be unbeaten. She came from some way back to win her maiden at Dundalk in September and flew home to finish second to 80-1 outsider Keeper Of Time in the 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown last month, going down by a head. She would have been in front in another stride.
5:15PM, APR 25 2021
Keeper Of Time, the filly who stole owner John Nolan’s heart when he bought her for just €3,000 and went on to win this month s 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown at odds of 80-1, has run her last race in Ireland with a deal agreed to sell her on to the United States.
The Group 3 victory was particularly sweet for 62-year-old Nolan, who breaks in horses for the race sponsors Ballylinch Stud, does some pre-training and still rides out at the Curragh, and he has done plenty of the preparatory work with the daughter of Mehmas since picking her up at the Goffs February Sale two years ago.
Kevin Prendergast planning Curragh Classic mission for Mehnah
Sun 25 Apr 2021
Mehnah will bid to give veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast a third win in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh next month.
The 88-year-old landed his first success in the fillies’ Classic with Pidget in 1972, while Arctique Royale was his second 40 years ago.
The County Kildare handler feels he has a genuine contender in Mehnah, who is a half-sister to his 2016 Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Awtaad.
The daughter of Frankel staked her claim for Classic honours when failing by only a head to catch Keeper Of Time in the 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown earlier this month.