When Luke Fernie learned Winning Rupert was on the market he seized the moment and bought the son of Champion Australian sire Written Tycoon to stand in Western Australia.
A rising influence among Ascot’s training ranks, Fernie purchased the 10 year-old stallion in partnership with stable client Kim Doak and former West Coast Eagles midfielder Daniel Venables through Inglis Digital.
The next step was a given when it came to deciding a home for Winning Rupert. Fernie’s top-class filly Laced Up Heels (Toronado), who ended the unbeaten run of Amelia’s Jewel in last season’s LR Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) at Ascot, is raced by Geisel Park Stud proprietor Eddie Rigg.
“Eddie and my old man (Peter Fernie) have been mates for years and it didn’t take long to work out a deal,” Luke said.
“Winning Rupert arrives here on Thursday and he will be in good hands with Geisel manager Conor Dunlop. You couldn’t ask for a better stallion man.”
Knowing Winning Rupert wasn’t just another cast-off also helped sway the decision. He had been based at Grandview Stud in Queensland but that farm was sold recently and the new owners had no aspirations to stand stallions.
Winning Rupert is a stunning liver chestnut who won the G2 Champaign Classic (1200m) at Doomben and G3 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) in record time at Eagle Farm. His career was curtailed after just six starts for Bjorn Baker who rated him the fastest horse he had ever trained!
There have been 95 individual winners from his first two crops to date and they include last month’s Randwick Group 3 winner Semana (Triscay Stakes) and Saturday’s Randwick Group 3 winner Tintookie (Wenona Girl Hcp).
Trainer Ciaron Maher has nominated Semana for the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill this Saturday.
His sire Written Tycoon struck for the 14th time at Group 1 level on Saturday with Velocious in the Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. She had won the RL Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January for trainer Stephen Marsh and Go Racing principal Albert Bosma.
Tintookie is a progressive mare and trainer Brad Widdup is confident better races are well within her scope this season. “She’s our stable princess. She’s tough, consistent and pretty straightforward at home.”
Winning Rupert already has a profile in the west through Simon Miller’s first-crop colt It’sarayday who won the LR Fairetha Stakes (1400m) at Ascot in 2021. Stablemate Madhi Girl was a brilliant Ascot winner in January and she was also runner-up in the RL Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) at Pinjarra last month behind Big Shots (Sizzing) who is part-owned and trained by Fernie.
“Wally Daly has a Winning Rupert with ability and our 3yo filly Cheeky Charlotte is pretty smart, too,” Fernie said. “I train her for a Belhus Racing syndicate and she won at Ascot and Belmont last month.”
There’s plenty more in the pipeline for Winning Rupert with the progeny of 214 mares either yearlings, foals or in utero from his last three books in Queensland.
Winning Rupert will be the third stallion in as many seasons to join the flourishing Geisel Park roster in the south-west at Myalup. All American (Red Ransom) was joined by Manhattan Rain (Encosta De Lago) in 2022 and Aysar (Deep Field) who was the second busiest WA freshman last year covering 88 mares.
A service fee will soon be announced for Winning Rupert and Fernie can be contacted for further information on 0424 780 882
