Monday, 17 September 2018: Prominent Melbourne owner Rupert Legh has enjoyed many notable racing moments but found it hard to rank any better than the results he experienced at Flemington on Saturday.

In the space of two hours Legh collected valuable black-type victories with his NZ-bred gallopers Brutal and Grunt, both sons of the late champion sire O’Reilly.
Exciting 3YO colt Brutal  maintained his unbeaten record in the Listed Antler Luggage Plate (1400m) before classy 4YO Grunt  joined an elite group to win two G1 races over the Flemington mile when added the Makybe Diva Stakes to his victory in last season’s Australian Guineas.

Grunt

The magnitude of the achievement was not lost on Legh, who has enjoyed some phenomenal success with horses of the calibre of remarkable sprinter Chautauqua.
"I've had some special moments in racing but I can't think of too many days like this one," he said. "To win two stakes races, including a Group 1, is just remarkable.”
Legh recounted the twist of fate that saw him purchase Grunt following the demise of a promising colt he had racing with the Hawkes Racing stable at the time.
"I lost a colt due to an adverse reaction he had to the anaesthetic during a minor operation after winning his first start," he said.
"Bloodstock agent Cameron Cooke had bought him for me and we had him insured so we used the money to purchase Grunt.
"Cameron had inspected him at the Karaka sales and was very taken with him as an individual so he recommended we try and buy him.
“Mick Price had also fallen in love with him so we did a deal and that is why he is now in Mick's stable."
Legh’s attraction to the progeny of O'Reilly, who passed away in 2014, saw him acquire Brutal for $NZ220,000 from the Karaka sale in 2017.
"John Hawkes rang me and told me he had seen an absolute cracker of a colt when he was over for the yearling sale in 2017," he said.
"He was from the last crop of O'Reilly and John rated him as the best walking colt and natural athlete in the sale.
“I have always had a real affinity for O’Reilly and his progeny so I said let's see if we can get him.
"We managed to get him for a fair bit less than was expected so it has worked out well in our favour."

Brutal

Legh is excited about the long term stallion prospects for both horses after early approaches from stud interests.
"Yulong Investments have approached me about the pair becoming foundation stallions at a property they have purchased in Victoria, so that will be something I will consider very seriously.”
Brutal (O’Reilly x Alberton Princess by Golan) is now unbeaten in three starts and has amassed prize-money of $201,200.
"It's his first prep and he's going to be a hell of a horse in the autumn,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said.
Brutal is a son of the stakes-placed mare Alberton Princess, also the dam of the O’Reilly stakes winner Talaria.
Grunt (O’Reilly x Ruqqaya by Van Nistelrooy) cost $NZ220,000 when he was acquired from the 2016 Karaka Sale by Mick Price and Cameron Cooke Bloodstock.
He has now had eight starts for five wins, three at stakes level, and has earned $1.21 million prize-money – more than five times his purchase price.
His dam Ruqqaya is a half-sister to the five-time G1 winner and exciting young sire Ocean Park (Thorn Park).
All three of her foals to race have won and include the black type performer Addison (Jimmy Choux).
G1 winners Prince Kaapstad (Kaapstad) and Critic (Centaine) also feature in the pedigree.
Ruqqaya has a Savabeel 2YO filly and was covered last spring by Tivaci.
Grunt is among the 13 G1 winners by O’Reilly, his others stars including Silent Achiever, Sacred Falls, Alamosa, Shamrocker and The Jewel.