Prendergast's drive is safe with Schindler

RACING

If he is feeling the pressure of training a significant challenger for the showpiece event of Britain's racing summer, Kevin Prendergast can hide the fact very well. With four days left before the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Prendergast was so pleased yesterday with Oscar Schindler's preparation for Ascot that he threw his clubs into the car and headed for the golf course.

His partner was Ollie Lehane, Oscar Schindler's owner, who could also concentrate on his putting rather than any worries about his colt's health. "He couldn't be better," Prendergast said yesterday. "He's had no interruptions and we're hoping for a big show. There should be plenty of pace and we just hope there's a bit of water on the track before the weekend."

Success on this side of the sea would not be a new experience for the trainer, whose memories of valuable day-trips stretch back more than 35 years to when he was assistant to his father, Paddy. In the late Fifties and early Sixties, while Vincent O'Brien was still finding his feet on the Flat, Prendergast senior was held in the sort of respect in Britain which the man from Ballydoyle later achieved.

"We had some very good horses in those times," his son recalls. "I wound up inheriting Ardross, we had Martial who won the 2,000 Guineas, and Paddy's Sister, who won the Gimcrack and the Queen Mary." After taking out a licence of his own in 1963, Kevin enjoyed a British Classic success of his own when he took the 1977 2,000 Guineas with Nebbiolo, who in the trainer's view will remain "the best horse I've trained by a long chalk" whatever Oscar Schindler achieves on Saturday.

The colt is named after the German industrialist and war hero whose achievements in saving the lives of many hundreds of Polish Jews were immortalised in Thomas Keneally's Booker Prize-winner Schindler's Ark, and Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List. Lehane, a flamboyant figure who is now retired after a successful career in the amusement industry, had offered to fly Schindler's widow to Ascot from her home in South America, but the plan has been abandoned due to Mrs Schindler's failing health.

Lehane has received at least one tempting offer to sell his four-year- old, but has managed to resist and will add many hundreds of thousands to any asking price if he can prevail this weekend. Oscar Schindler's backers, too, would enjoy a good return, and after support yesterday he is no better than 10-1, from morning odds of 14-1.

Shaamit, the Derby winner, was also strongly backed yesterday, and was cut by William Hill from 11-4 to 9-4 joint-favourite with Pentire, although the former price is still available with Coral.

Michael Hills, Pentire's regular rider, will learn today whether his appeal against a ban will allow him to maintain the partnership, but his twin brother, Richard, will definitely be in the stalls on Saturday. He has been booked for Annus Mirabilis, a 50-1 chance from Godolphin which also sends out Classic Cliche, the Gold Cup winner.

Farasan, who has been backed down to 9-1 for the King George from an opening offer of 33-1, completed his preparation yesterday. "He's fine and exactly how the boss wants him to be," Simon Sweetings, assisant to Henry Cecil, reported.

Classic Cliche will be ridden by Michael Kinane, who would normally partner Oscar Schindler, but the jockey who recently missed out on an Irish Derby winner may once again have made an unfortunate choice in a big week for Irish sport. "There's been two gold medals for Ireland already," Prendergast said yesterday, "let's hope we can get the third."