Grunt
O’Reilly (NZ) x Ruqqaya (NZ), by Van Nistelrooy (USA)
2014
16.2hh
FEE: $22,000 inc GST
FOUNDATION STALLION
GRUNT
From just a handful of runners to date, Grunt has already unearthed a stallion prospect of his own in the Yulong-bred Veight.
The brilliant juvenile became his sire’s first winner when bursting onto the scene with a six-length maiden win in February, before a dominant success in the Gr.2 Sires’ Produce S. at Flemington one month later. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained colt looks destined for a big three-year-old campaign after a dominating win in the Gr. 3 McNeil Stakes.
With smart debuts from Rhythm Of Love, Our Cracklin Rosie and Akicita, and given the improvement that Grunt himself made from two to three, there is plenty of excitement around this young stallion as crops emerge from Yulong’s elite mares, and his oldest crop enter their classic year.
Purchased from the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$220,000 by Cameron Cooke Bloodstock and trainer Mick Price, Grunt himself made a quick impression on the track.
Having only the one two-year-old outing, placing third to eventual Gr.1 winner Aloisia, Grunt broke his maiden impressively at the beginning of his second campaign when starting a four-race winning streak. Showing his talent, his third victory was in the Gr.3 C S Hayes Stakes, defeating Cliff’s Edge and Embellish.
This campaign culminated with a tenacious victory in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas, in only his fifth career start.
Damien Oliver was effusive in his praise for Grunt post-victory, “he’s a magnificent specimen of a horse and he deserved a really strong Gr.1 win like that today.”
Grunt returned as a four-year-old to impressively win the Gr.1 Makybe Diva in 2018 by two lengths at Flemington, beating eight Gr.1 winners in the process.
Grunt retired with a Timeform rating of 123 as a four-year-old, ranking him as elite among his generation.
“An outstanding individual and brilliant 1600m horse. Grunt had an excellent temperament and I think he will make a great stallion,” said Mick Price.
Grunt’s first crop of yearlings were presented at the 2022 yearling sale and were immediately popular. At the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale they totalled an impressive $1,480,500. Five of the 15 offered made six figures and sold to leading trainers such as Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Graeme Begg, Freedman Racing, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott and Danny O’Brien Racing.
It was a similar story at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where Grunt’s progeny sold for an average of $104,000, again with multiple six figure results. Overall in 2022 Grunt’s yearlings sold for over three times his service fee.
TOP PRICED YEARLINGS
Performance
Facts
- Dual Gr.1-winning miler by Champion stallion O’Reilly (NZ)
- Winner of the Gr.1 Australian Guineas at three, then took out the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes at four, like turf legends Zabeel (NZ) and Mahogany
- Retired with a Timeform rating of 123 as a four-year-old, ranking him as elite among his generation
- Yearlings sold for $350,000, $340,000, $220,000, $205,000 etc in 2023
- Sire of Gr.2 Sires' Produce Stakes winner Veight from his first-crop
Race record
Age |
Runs |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | – | – | 1 | $9,000 |
| 3 | 4 | 4 | – | – | $728,250 |
| 4 | 7 | 1 | – | – | $645,200 |
| Totals | 12 | 5 | 0 | 1 | $1,382,450 |
at 2
3rd VRC Saintly Hall of Fame 2YO Trophy (1400m)
at 3
VRC Australian Guineas, Gr.1 (1600m)
CS Hayes S., Gr.3 (1400m)
SAJC Holdfast Insurance H. (1600m)
Werribee RC Winning Edge Presentations Maiden P. (1400m)
Timeform Rating: 122 (in 2017)
AT 4
VRC Makybe Diva S., Gr.1 (1600m)
Timeform Rating: 123 (in 2018)
Media
Grunt
Bred to Win
featuring Grunt
Grunt winning the 2018 G1 Makybe Diva S.
Grunt winning the 2018 G1 Australian Guineas
Pedigree
From a stallion-making family, Grunt’s dam Ruqqaya is a half-sister to New Zealand Horse of The Year and promising New Zealand sire Ocean Park. She is a two-time winning mare who has also produced stakes performer Addison from three to race.
Like promising young stallion Dundeel, Grunt carries Zabeel on his dam side and is free of Danzig blood.
As a complete outcross, he will suit a wide variety of mares. Three of O’Reilly’s Group 1 winners were from mares by Centaine, while one of his best performers, Sacred Falls, is from a Redoute’s Choice mare.
O’Reilly’s Top Progeny
SILENT ACHIEVER (08f, Zabeel, Fortunate Dancer). 10 wins from 1500m to 2400m, A$3,155,678, 1st ARC New Zealand Derby, Gr.1, ATC BMW S., Gr.1, ARC New Zealand S., Gr.1, ATC Ranvet S., Gr.1, ARC Championship S., Gr.2, ARC Avondale Guineas, Gr.2, MVRC Schweppes Crystal Mile H., Gr.2, Waikato RC Waikato Guineas, Gr.3, ARC Retina Specialists H., 2nd ATC BMW S., Gr.1, ARC APC Logistics H., 3rd MVRC WS Cox P., Gr.1, ATC Rosehill Guineas, Gr.1, ARC Eight Carat Classic, Gr.2, 4th ATC Queen Elizabeth S., Gr.1, ATC Queen Elizabeth S., Gr.1, ATC Chipping Norton S., Gr.1, ATC Ranvet S., Gr.1, MRC Memsie S., Gr.1, ATC Chipping Norton S., Gr.1, VRC Matriarch S., Gr.2
ALAMOSA (04c, Centaine, Sound Reason). 10 wins from 800m to 1600m, A$1,080,760, 1st WRC Thorndon Mile, Gr.1, Otaki Maori RC WFA S., Gr.1, ARC Diamond S., Gr.1, MRC Toorak H., Gr.1, Avondale JC Avondale Guineas, Gr.2, Hawkes Bay Hawke’s Bay Guineas, Gr.2, WRC Wellington S., Gr.3, WRC Wellesley S., L, Hawkes Bay Bay Ford Juvenile S., 2nd CJC New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas, Gr.1, MRC CF Orr S., Gr.1, WRC Wellington Guineas, Gr.2, CJC Welcome S., L, Wanganui JC Ford 2YO S., 3rd Manawatu RC Manawatu Sires’ Produce S., Gr.1, MRC Futurity S., Gr.1, 4th MRC JJ Liston S., Gr.2, MRC Memsie S., Gr.2, Matamata RC Slipper S., L
SACRED FALLS (09c, Redoute’s Choice, Carolingian). 9 wins from 1000m to 1600m, A$4,701,216, 1st CJC New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas, Gr.1, ATC Doncaster H., Gr.1, ATC Doncaster H., Gr.1, ATC George Main S., Gr.1, Hawkes Bay Hawke’s Bay Guineas, Gr.2, Waikato RC James & Annie Sarten Memorial S., Gr.3, Whangarei RC Westbury Stud Challenge S., L, Waikato RC Shaune Ritchie Racing Stables 2YO H., 2nd ATC Queen Elizabeth S., Gr.1, ATC Rosehill Guineas, Gr.1, 3rd MVRC Schweppes Crystal Mile, Gr.2, 4th ATC George Ryder S., Gr.1, ATC Canterbury S., Gr.1, MRC Caulfield S., Gr.1, ATC Warwick S., Gr.2, ATC Chelmsford S., Gr.2, ATC Tramway S., Gr.3
SHAMROCKER (07f, Blues Traveller, Icelandic). 4 wins from 1200m to 2400m, A$1,975,888, 1st ATC Australian Derby, Gr.1, VRC Australian Guineas, Gr.1, VRC Sires’ Produce S., Gr.2, MRC Glenfern 2YO P., 2nd VRC VRC Oaks, Gr.1, ATC Australian Oaks, Gr.1, 3rd ATC Rosehill Guineas, Gr.1, VRC Edward Manifold S., Gr.2, 4th VRC Vanity S., Gr.3
MACO’REILLY (03g, Centaine, Crested Wave). 10 wins from 1200m to 2000m, A$377,519, 1st Waikato RC International S., Gr.1, ARC New Zealand S., Gr.1, Manawatu RC Awapuni Gold Cup, Gr.2, Manawatu RC Manawatu Cup Trial, Hawkes Bay DHL Global Forwarding H., 2nd Manawatu RC Manawatu Cup, Gr.3, WRC Anniversary H., L, WRC Anniversary H., L, BOP RC Satara Co-Operative Group H., WRC Maxmotors.co.nz 3YO H., Manawatu RC NRM H., 3rd Manawatu RC Rydges Coachman 3YO H., Manawatu RC Ashhurst Business Houses H., 4th Waikato RC International S., Gr.1, WRC Captain Cook S., Gr.1
FINAL DESTINATION (98f, Sound Reason, Zephyr Bay). 5 wins from 1400m to 1709m, A$404,914, 1st Levin RC Bayer Classic, Gr.1, CJC New Zealand One Thousand Guineas, Gr.1, Santa Anita Buena Vista H., Gr.2, ARC Amarula Wild Fruit Cream H., 2nd Taranaki RC Taranaki 2YO Classic, Gr.3, Hawkes Bay Chequers Stud Green Perfume 3YO Trophy, 3rd Hollywood Park Wilshire H., Gr.3, 4th WRC Desert Gold S., Gr.3
THE JEWEL (99f, Grosvenor, Noble Bijou). 11 wins from 1200m to 2020m, A$541,364, 1st CJC New Zealand One Thousand Guineas, Gr.1, Waikato RC International S., Gr.1, BTC Doomben Roses S., Gr.3, Otago RC Dunedin Guineas, L, Southland RC Southland Guineas, L, CJC Guineas Trial S., Otago RC Dunedin Cup, CJC Avon City Ford 3YO H., Otago RC Rotary Polio Eradication H., 2nd CJC New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas, Gr.1, WRC New Zealand Oaks, Gr.1, QTC Queensland Oaks, Gr.1, ARC King’s P., Gr.3, CJC Easter Cup, Gr.3, Otago RC Wickliffe Ltd H., 3rd Wairarapa RC Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ S., L, CJC Canterbury Belle S., L, 4th QTC Queensland Derby, Gr.1, Timaru RC Timaru Cup, L
GRUNT (14c, Van Nistelrooy, Zabeel). 5 wins from 1400m to 1600m, A$1,382,450, 1st VRC Australian Guineas, Gr.1, VRC Makybe Diva S., Gr.1, VRC CS Hayes S., Gr.3, SAJC Holdfast Insurance H., 3rd VRC Saintly Hall of Fame 2YO Trophy
GUYNO (03g, Centaine, Sir Godfrey). 8 wins from 1400m to 2600m, A$1,310,850, 1st WATC WATC Derby, Gr.1, WATC Perth Cup, Gr.2, SAJC Lord Reims S., Gr.3, MRC (Mornington) Mornington Cup, L, WATC York S., L, WATC TJ Smith Trophy, L, WATC Concrete H., WATC Lindsay Rosenthal 2YO Trophy, 2nd WATC Kingston Town Classic, Gr.1, WATC Perth Cup, Gr.2, Bunbury RC Bunbury Cup, L, WATC Goodwood Sprint H., L, WATC Detonator S., L, WATC Melvista S., L, WATC Aquanita S., L, WATC Eco-Pink H., 3rd WATC CB Cox S., Gr.2, Kalgoorlie Boulder RC Kalgoorlie Cup, L, Pinjarra RC Pinjarra Cup, L, Pinjarra RC Pinjarra Cup, L, WATC GA Towton Cup, L, WATC Detonator S., L, WATC JC Roberts S., L, WATC Tattersall’s Cup, L, WATC West Coast Eagles 2YO H., 4th Bunbury TC Bunbury Cup, L, WATC Challenge S., L, WATC Fairetha S., L
SWICK (01g, Crested Wave, Sovereign Edition). 6 wins from 1200m to 1400m, A$1,098,325, 1st VRC Patinack Classic, Gr.1, VRC Seppelt Salinger S., Gr.2, MRC Sandown S., Gr.3, STC Lone Star Steaks Welter H., STC Tyrrell’s Ballantynes & Cola H., 2nd VRC Lightning S., Gr.1, VRC Gilgai S., Gr.2, AJC South Pacific Classic, Gr.3, VRC Bobbie Lewis H., Gr.3, STC Fairfield RSL Charity Race H., 3rd AJC Stan Fox S., Gr.2, STC Shannon S., Gr.2, STC Darby Munro S., L, STC De Bortoli Wines 2YO H., 4th VRC Newmarket H., Gr.1, VRC Salinger S., Gr.1, BTC BTC Cup, Gr.1, VRC Gilgai S., Gr.2, MRC TS Carlyon Cup, Gr.3
MASTER O’REILLY (02g, Bakharoff, Imposing). 8 wins from 1715m to 2600m, A$2,985,400, 1st MRC Caulfield Cup, Gr.1, MRC Herbert Power S., Gr.2, VRC William Newton VC H., VRC Antler Luggage H., AJC Quasar Constructions H., 2nd VRC Turnbull S., Gr.1, MRC Weary Dunlop Research Foundation H., MRC Hyperno H., 3rd VRC Makybe Diva S., Gr.2, MRC Sandown Classic, Gr.2, MVRC JRA Cup, L, MRC Tabcorp Analysts Classic H., 4th VRC Melbourne Cup, Gr.1, VRC Melbourne Cup, Gr.1, STC BMW S., Gr.1, MRC Yalumba S., Gr.1, MRC St George S., Gr.2
O’MARILYN (11f, Zabeel, Bakharoff). 4 wins from 800m to 1400m, A$322,572, 1st Manawatu RC Manawatu Sires’ Produce S., Gr.1, Hawkes Bay Gold Trail S., Gr.3, Waikato RC James & Annie Sarten Memorial S., Gr.3, 2nd ARC Diamond S., Gr.1, 3rd ARC Karaka Million (R), L, Waikato RC Star Way S., L
SHAMEXPRESS (09c, Volksraad, Grosvenor). 3 wins from 1000m to 1200m, A$1,150,475, 1st VRC Newmarket H., Gr.1, VRC Summer Heroes Raceday 2YO P., MVRC Chandler Macleod Premium H., 2nd VRC Sprint Classic, Gr.1, VRC Lightning S., Gr.1, MRC Schweppes H., 3rd VRC Coolmore Stud S., Gr.1, MRC HDF McNeil S., Gr.3, 4th VRC Newmarket H., Gr.1, ATC All Aged S., Gr.1
Grunt Brochure
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