Written by Bren O'Brien
Cover image courtesy of Newgate Farm
Grandview Stud has acquired the services of Winning Rupert, who will return to the state where he was bred and foaled to stand at the south-east Queensland stud in 2022.
The son of Written Tycoon, a three-time stakes winner, has spent the past five seasons at Newgate, and has produced 24 winners from his first two crops, including the Listed winner Itsarayday and stakes-performed trio Bolsonaro, Tonneofgrit and Jemeldi.
He is set to stand at his new home at Grandview Stud, which is at Peak Crossing, west of Brisbane for $7700 (inc GST), joining a roster that currently contains Under The Louvre, Whittington and Neorealism (Jpn).
Itsarayday, Winning Rupert's Listed-winning son | Image courtesy of Simon Miller Racing
Grandview Stud owner Michael Grieve welcomed Winning Rupert to the farm and said he is a stallion who should be ideal for Queensland breeders to support.
“Winning Rupert was an exceptionally fast son of Written Tycoon on the track, a Group 2-winning 2-year-old and then returned even better as a 3-year-old with a trio of amazing performances during the Brisbane summer of 2016," he said.
“His trainer Bjorn Baker said he was the fastest horse he had trained and leading form analyst Dominic Beirne had him ahead of Chautauqua, Astern, Star Turn, Flying Artie and Extreme Choice on projected ratings after his blistering 3-year-old summer."
"His (Winning Rupert's) trainer Bjorn Baker said he was the fastest horse he had trained and leading form analyst Dominic Beirne had him ahead of Chautauqua, Astern, Star Turn, Flying Artie and Extreme Choice on projected ratings after his blistering 3-year-old summer." - Michael Grieve
Bred 30km up the road at Wicklow Lodge at Morwincha, Winning Rupert was sold by Eliza Park at the 2015 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale, with Bjorn Baker signing the docket for $67,500.
He debuted with a win at the Sunshine Coast and then was victorious in the G2 Champagne Classic at Doomben at his second run.
He returned in the summer to win a 3-year-old race at Eagle Farm by 6l, breaking the 1200-metre track record and then winning the Listed Gold Edition Plate by 5.5l.
Michael Grieve | Image courtesy of Grandview Stud
A similarly comfortable win in the G3 Vo Rogue Plate followed, also in track-record time for the Eagle Farm 1300 metres. He ran fourth in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in what was his final run. He had bone chips removed but would not return to the track, instead joining Newgate, alongside star first-season trio Capitalist, Extreme Choice and Flying Artie.
He served 147 mares in his first year at $22,000 (inc GST), and then 151 in his second, 103 in his third, 79 in his fourth and then 91 last season, when he stood at $11,000 (inc GST).
He now finds a new home back in the state where he was bred and did all his racing.
“Fittingly, Winning Rupert returns to Queensland where he was bred and produced his record-breaking performances on the track," Grieve said.
“Fittingly, Winning Rupert returns to Queensland where he was bred and produced his record-breaking performances on the track." - Michael Grieve
“He comes to us after five seasons at Newgate Stud, ironically at the same time his sire Written Tycoon came to Queensland to stand.
“At Newgate Stud, Winning Rupert served consistently strong books, produced four stakes horses, 12 2-year-old winners from his first crop, and was third in the First Season Sire standings by winners.
Winning Rupert | Standing at Grandview Stud
“We’re excited to stand him at such great value and believe he will be as big a success as a QTIS sire as he was on the Queensland racetracks.”
Winning Rupert's yearlings have sold for up to $425,000 with his latest crop averaging $56,094 through the 2022 yearling sales.
