Prendergast retired in late 2007 and was careful about where his registered colours would end up, his former employee and master trotting trainer, Phil Williamson, said.
‘‘When he retired, he didn't want just anyone to have the colours and he offered them to Matty,'' Williamson said.
‘‘I think that was good for Matty, because he won a lot of races in his days, did Richard.''
Prendergast, who trained top trotters such as Simon Katz and Hickory Stick, is living out his retirement with wife Leona in Ashburton, where he last trained, Williamson said.
The colours might not be far off from entering the winner's circle at a race meeting, based on the early promise shown by juvenile trotter Winnie McGougan, who takes on seven rivals over 1950m tonight.
The daughter of Muscle Mass is part-owned by Matthew Williamson, giving him a chance to use the colours.
She led up at Addington in a non-totalisator event in January, just succumbing to Custodian on the line, but beat home the All Stars Stable-trained Regal Love by a nose at Addington last month in a three-horse non-tote mile.
‘‘At this stage, she's a nice enough little horse without being any superstar. She goes OK though,'' Phil Williamson said.
‘‘She hasn't really run any real time. She's got a good little turn of foot, but this is more serious.''
Williamson spent $20,000 on the third foal of three-win mare Spin Ya Wheels at last year's yearling sales.
‘‘She was just a nice type, I thought. I liked her on type and the family.
‘‘She's a half [sister] to The Bog and wasn't overly dear.''
Winnie McGougan might have been the complete little professional so far, but Williamson is not thinking too far ahead with the ‘‘nice-sized'' filly.
‘‘I think she'll only get better, but she won't go deep into this 2yr-old campaign. She's a yearling sales entry so if she's good enough for that, that's kind of where we would be looking to go.
‘‘This race will give us a line as to whether to press on to the Yearling Sales [feature on May 14] and something like the Jewels would only happen if she went close to winning the race tomorrow.''
Williamson said his part-owner son was a model owner at this point.‘‘To be perfectly honest, he's pretty OK with what the father says,'' Williamson chuckled.
Williamson's other runner tonight is Father Christmas, who starts off the unruly mark on the front line in a small but tidy handicap trot field.
Wanna Play looks a leading hope off the front line, while Sunny Ruby (10m), The Earth Moved (20m) and Royal Aspirations (40m) are all quality trotters when they are in the right mood.
‘‘He's probably an each-way chance in that sort of a race. It won't be easy, that's for sure, but he'll be round about, with a bit of luck.''
