Grunt (NZ) Completes Rapid Rise in Australian Guineas

Lightly raced Premier Sale graduate Grunt (NZ) (O’Reilly) has rapidly emerged as one of Australian racing’s brightest three-year-old stars, and he completed that rise at Group One level in Saturday’s A$1 million Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

With Damien Oliver in the saddle, the Mick Price-trained colt emerged from midfield and hit the lead at the 200-metre mark. He kept going strongly to the line to score by half a length from Peaceful State (Animal Kingdom).

"He's a magnificent specimen of a horse and he deserved a really strong Group One win like that today," Oliver said.

Grunt has now had five starts for four wins and a placing, banking A$737,250 in prize money – more than three times his $220,000 purchase price at the 2016 Premier Sale.

It was Price’s second Group 1 Guineas win with a Karaka graduate this season, having also claimed the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) with $180,000 Premier Sale purchase Mighty Boss (Not a Single Doubt).

“They were always going to be nice horses,” Price said. “They’re colts, and I like getting colts to be Group 1 winners and making sires of them.

“(Grunt) isn’t furnished yet. He’s going to be a really good four-year-old.”

Grunt is raced by R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd, Wright Racing, Gurners Bloodstock Co, Mr R Smith, Mr G Pulitano, Mr S Tsalikidis and Mr C Cortese.