"The last horse I raced was Mr Ay Bee," recalled Prendergast, who trains in partnership with his wife, Lyn, at West Melton.
Mr Ay Bee won the 1978 Dunedin Cup, 1979 George Adams (Tattersall) Handicap at Riccarton and Great Autumn Handicap there the same year under 60kg when trained by Prendergast at Wingatui,Raced by Prendergast with Ian Lomas and Dave Sim, the Showoff-Gold Cross gelding was transferred to Takanini trainer Ray Verner the following season and won the Avondale Cup and King's Plate at Ellerslie.
Prendergast shares the ownership of Golden Tuscany with Nick and Josie Harley, of Brightwater.
Josie Harley has raced other horses from the Prendergast stable including Ashbury Syd (2007 Champagne Stakes at Wingatui).
Prendergast took a liking to Golden Tuscany when he was passed in for $5000 as a 2yr-old at the 2007 South Island sale. His owners secured him at that price from Prebbleton breeder John Shaw.
"He is a horse with a bit of substance," Prendergast said.
Golden Tuscany had been placed in three of his other five starts.
Golden Tuscany is by Tuscany Flyer, the sire of Ashbury Syd and the 2003 Winter Cup winner, Tuscany Warrior.
Tuscany Flyer returned to Australia in 2005 after standing in New Zealand.
He stood at Prebbleton Farm, operated by Shaw, in 2003.
Golden Tuscany is the second foal of Dubai Gold, an unraced half-sister by Quality Gold to Gem Fire, winner of five races and dam of Emerald Fire and Dicktator.
Firefly, the granddam of Golden Tuscany, won the Dunedin, Waikouaiti and Amberley Cups in the early 1980s when trained by Ned and Lloyd Thistoll.
The Prendergast stable also won a maiden race on Sunday with Anissina, who had been placed in 15 of her other 21 starts.
She is raced by the Stings Chance syndicate on lease from Brendan Lindsay, of Auckland.
Quantum Dude, the winner of 10 races is now trained by Kathryn Thomson at Rangiora.
The rising 8yr-old won the Kumara Nuggets in January from the Rangiora stable of Paul Harris.
