Winning Rupert’s racing career could be over in a flash as owners weigh up stud offer

7810: Winning Rupert demolishes his rivals winning at Eagle Farm. Grant Peters, Trackside PhotographySource: Supplied

Brad Davidson from The Daily Telegraph

January 24th, 2017 4:28 pm

BJORN Baker faces the prospect of losing the “quickest horse I’ve had” as star sprinter Winning Rupert could be retired to stud without another start.

Winning Rupert’s owners are in discussions with a stud and negotiations are “going well at this stage”.

“It’s under negotiation at the moment and I guess after the operation the owners are weighing it up,” trainer Baker said. “From my point of view as a trainer he is the quickest horse I’ve had so I would love to keep him for the spring.

Winning Rupert could be retired to stud after recovering from a knee operation. Picture: Grant PetersSource: Supplied

“He is the big horse I have for the spring but at the same time too he had a knee operation on Friday (to remove bone chips) so you have to take that into account as well.”

Three-year-old Winning Rupert has won five from six starts and suffered his first defeat in the $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas earlier this month.