While Rupert Legh doesn’t believe he will ever see, let alone own, another as good as the John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes-trained star Chautauqua, the high-profile owner has a variety of future sources of potential top-line talent.
The Melbourne businessman is in the unique position of having interests in three colts going to stud this season in Brutal (NZ), Alabama Express and Exceedance and will be throwing his support behind them, and others, both breeding mares and in the long-term supporting breeders with the purchase of their progeny.
Brutal (NZ) and Glen Boss | Image by Simon Bullard courtesy of AAP Photos
Brutal joins Newgate
The winner of five of his 10 starts from the Hawkes yard, including the G1 Doncaster H., Brutal will stand 2020 at Newgate Farm.
“We didn’t see the best of him and that’s a pity. I said to Henry (Field) it’s a shame we didn’t get to Queensland and then Royal Ascot in England,” Legh said.
“We didn’t see him at his real best at all and that’s the tragedy of it and what this coronavirus has created.
“We didn’t see Brutal at his real best at all and that’s the tragedy of it and what this coronavirus has created.” – Rupert Legh
“I’ll be breeding to him, most definitely. We are outsourcing mares at the moment and I’ve got other mares, at the moment we are working out which will be best suited to him.”
Henry Field
Field, Newgate’s Managing Director, is delighted to have formed a close association with Legh.
“I have known Rupert for some years and I’ve really got to know him well in the last 12 months or so. He’s one of the biggest racehorse owners in Australia and has success at an incredible strike rate at developing these stallions,” he said.
“He loves Brutal and he will be supporting him in the market place by breeding and buying the best with John Hawkes, to have a team of them.”
It was Hawkes who left Legh in no doubt that he had to retain his full interest in Brutal.
“He said 'Rupert, that’s one you don’t sell down on'. He said every box you want to tick as a stallion he’s ticked – on looks, presence, physique, attitude, ability, will to win and toughness," said Legh.
“There’s not one box not ticked on that horse. He said, 'there are very few horses you can say that about as most horses have a weakness'. He was the perfect racehorse and will be the perfect stallion.
“John said 'Brutal doesn’t have a weakness, he was the perfect racehorse and will be the perfect stallion.” – Rupert Legh
“He said to me 'you’re not selling' so I said 'okay, I’m happy to keep what I’ve got'. We will support him and I’ve got people at the moment like Henry, Peter Ford, Phillip Campbell all sourcing mares to go to Brutal as we speak.”
Strong support
Legh also said, when the time comes, he will be active at the sales to be buying the best progeny of his stallions and it’s not an unfamiliar approach.
“It’s like Tivaci, we put seven mares to him and we sold some Tivaci yearlings this year and I kept two. We went and bought what John thought was the best colt at the Magic Millions and what he called the best filly at Karaka in New Zealand.
Rupert with Alabama Express | Image by Vince Caligiuri courtesy of AAP Photos
“We love the stallion and once again he’s got a great presence and a great racehorse. He was a different type of High Chaparral to Toronado and Dundeel – he was more of a speed horse. Once again, a magnificent-looking stallion.”
Legh currently has a broodmare band of 24 in Australia and New Zealand.
“I’ve got them scattered at Blue Gum, Vinery and now putting some with Rick (Jamieson) up at Gilgai and some are at Waikato Stud,” Legh said.
Express Group 1
Trained by Michael Moroney, Alabama Express beat the older horses in the G1 CF Orr S. during a brief career and he will join another Legh top-flight winner in Grunt (NZ) at Yulong in 2020.
Grunt (NZ) will stand his second season at Yulong
“Obviously we’ve also got Grunt and now Alabama Express and that was a tough one again because he only had eight starts. Mr Zhang pleaded with me, he had a Northern Hemisphere stallion coming down but it can’t now,” Legh said.
“He’s got a barn full of mares and needed another stallion, so I reluctantly agreed to get in early because I think there are a couple of sons of Redoute’s Choice going to stud next year.
“I thought I’ll support him and get out to the market. Once again, we’re looking at what mares will suit what stallions and sourcing some more, so a lot of work to be done.”
Exceptional talent
Another high-profile horse who will be strongly supported by Legh is the Hawkes-trained G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Exceedance, who raced nine times.
The son of Exceed And Excel was raised at Vinery and sold as a yearling to a partnership group that included Legh. He demonstrated his natural talent on debut as a juvenile when winning in a spectacular last to first performance, becoming a horse to watch for the future.
Video: Exceedance winning the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
He solidified that reputation at the top-flight level when winning the G1 Coolmore Stud S. in spectacular fashion, defeating Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) and Libertini (I Am Invincible) in the straight-six championship at Flemington. Exceedance was announced last month on the Vinery roster for the 2020 season.
Uncertainty with the spring racing program and disruption to travel has resulted in the early retirement of several colts to Stud this season, with Legh revealing obvious disappointment at not being able to race on.
“It’s just a pity really the way it worked out really because I’m a public advocate for racing horses beyond three to really show the public what these horses are capable of doing,” Legh said.
"I’m a public advocate for racing horses beyond three to really show the public what these horses are capable of doing." Rupert Legh
“Then breeders and potential purchasers know that the progeny can, like their fathers, race on as 2, 3, 4 and 5-year-olds. I think it’s important to keep horses racing longer, but I am a team player.
“With Brutal our intention was to go to Queensland and then hopefully snag a bit of black type in England, but I do understand that there’s quite a bit of money in the horse.
“If we raced him into a 5-year-old prep they would miss another year (at stud) and I get that. Brutal was a bit easier than Alabama, being a year older.”
Brutal (NZ)
Ever an optimist
Fittingly, the last word from Legh is on unearthing another horse of the quality of the grey flash that was Chautauqua.
“I don’t think I’ll see another Chautauqua in my lifetime. He did freakish stuff that I haven’t seen any other do. You tell me another horse that could win from the impossible, 100 metres out and still last and he found a way to win races,” he said.
“Yes, he lost because of his style of racing and with luck should have won the first Everest when he just got snagged up on the fence. I can honestly say the best horse did not win that day, but that’s part of racing.
“That’s happened to me when I’ve had a winner and maybe the best horse didn’t win. You get another Chautauqua and you’ll be blessed. We’ll keep trying though, that’s what we do and we’ll never give up trying to find another Chautauqua.”
Rupert doesn't think he'll see another Chautauqua in his lifetime | Image Dan Himbrechts courtesy of AAP Photos
