Grunt
O’Reilly (NZ) X Ruqqaya (NZ), By Van Nistelrooy (USA)
2014
FEE: $22,000 inc GST
In 2019, Group 1-winning miler Grunt (NZ) became the foundation Yulong stallion.
Purchased from the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$220,000 by Cameron Cooke Bloodstock and trainer Mick Price, the son of O’Reilly made a quick impression on the track.
Having only the one 2-year-old outing, placing third to eventual Group 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 Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes, defeating Cliff’s Edge and Embellish.
This campaign culminated with a tenacious victory in the Group 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 Group 1 win like that today.”
Grunt returned as a 4-year-old to impressively win the Group 1 Makybe Diva in 2018 by two lengths at Flemington, beating eight Group 1 winners in the process.
Grunt retired with a Timeform rating of 123 as a 4-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.
View Available Grunt Yearlings Here
Related Tag: Horse for Sale
