Cunningham–A Rebel in the Ranks

[Wandering Eyes]

Phil Cunningham, owner and founder of Rebel Racing, has enjoyed success at the top level since getting involved in racehorse ownership. In 2014 he founded Rebel Racing and is now embarking on the hard task of making a stallion as G2 Coventry S. winner Rajasinghe (GB) (Choisir {Aus}) gets his new career underway. Phil recently sat down with the TDN’s Alayna Cullen to discuss his passion and the support he is throwing behind Rajasinghe.

TDN: Phil, firstly, why horse racing? How did you get involved in it?

Phil Cunningham: Seems such a long time ago now. I’m 50 the next year, so I think I probably got involved when I first left college. Dad had had a few horses before that. And then when I first started work, I got a few mates together and we bought our first horse as a syndicate, a great way to get involved with racing. The horse was called Cool Temper (GB), trained by Jack Banks, So yeah, it all seemed a long time ago, and obviously things, very fortunately for me, have gone well since.

TDN: You have been quite a lucky owner. It’s fair to say that you’ve enjoyed success at the top level. Just tell us a little about the success you’ve had.

PC: Yeah, a very luck owner. Obviously, the big horse would be Cockney Rebel (Ire) (Val Royal {Fr}), he won the English and the Irish Guineas in 2007, a super, super horse. But prior to that, in 2005, we had the second in the Guineas with Rebel Rebel (Ire) (Revoque {Ire}). The Guineas was always my favorite race as a racing fan and we had the fourth in Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire})’s Guineas with Slim Shadey (GB) (Val Royal {Fr}) which was the first horse I ever bred. Flat racing is my passion, but I’ve obviously lived the dream of a Cheltenham winner with Cinders And Ashes (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) as well.

Then, obviously, I got more involved and, I suppose, lived the dream in setting up our own training operation. Richard (Spencer) joined us only three years ago and we won the Molecomb last year, the Coventry the year before and this year’s team look like they could be even more promising. Definitely larger, so if the law of numbers applies, then yeah, we’re in for a good year.

TDN: You mentioned winning the Coventry S. Of course that was with Rajasinghe who is now standing at The National Stud. Why did you decide to stand him there?

PC: I’ve always had quite a close affinity to the Stud. Obviously, Cockney Rebel stood here when he first started his stud career. I love the place, it’s local, and so we get to continue to see the horse. But it really came from meetings with Tim Lane who’s been very supportive of our organization, a great friend of [trainer]  Richard [Spencer]’s, and I think he’s done a tremendous job.

TDN: And just to go back to his Coventry win, what impressed you most about it?

PC: Well, I think from a very, very early stage, Richard picked him out as the one that looked a bit special. I think at only 28, I think Richard is, I believe one of, if not the, youngest trainer of a Royal Ascot winner. Which was absolutely brilliant and well-deserved for all of his hard work. But the way in which the horse did it, he got checked at the start, didn’t have the clearest sort of run through and pretty much had to run up the middle of the track on his own, which probably wasn’t the fastest part of the track as it proved throughout the whole of that meeting and to beat the track record, it was a dream, an absolute dream.

TDN: You’ve announced a rather interesting incentive program for breeders using Rajasinghe. Can you tell us a little more about it?

PC: I think the interesting part from not coming from a racing background myself gives us the ability to look at things a little bit differently and from speaking to the guys, Tim, Joe, and Mark, that are involved in managing the horse for us, the issue that breeders are facing at the moment, especially at the level of the market that we’re looking at, is that some people are concerned about the future economy in and outside of the bloodstock side of things. So I thought, ‘Well if we can balance that with what we’re trying to achieve, which is obviously in our first season get as many runners on the ground as possible, why not give them a guarantee of the money back should the horse not reach a price in commercial sales at the at the foal or the yearling stage?’ So what we’re trying to do is encourage breeders to come in and support our confidence. A little bit different I believe. We’ll see what comes from it, and hopefully we’ll have a super success story behind us in years to come. Like Kodiak, which would be the similar sort of dream to what we’re trying to obtain from Rajasinghe.

TDN: You mentioned you have a breeding operation, are you sending any mares to him?

PC: Yes, I’m breeding some mares myself. I’ve got 10 or 12 mares myself, of which eight of them are going to the horse and we’re going to, hopefully, obtain the best progeny that he produces for ourselves. So we’ll be viewing them all at the sales ring with the tremendous team that we have that includes Richard and Bobby [O’Ryan].

TDN: Earlier you said that you are hoping this year will be a good year for the team and one of the headline acts should be Rumble Inthejungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}). How is he and what are his targets this year?

PC: He’s a magnificent hose, I’ve never seen a horse with such a great temperament. He really was the flag bearer for us last year. Obviously now that we’re in partnership with Cheveley Park, who are fantastic people to deal with, the final decision will be with them, but I think the G1 Commonwealth Cup has always been on the agenda and he will probably have one of two prep runs.

TDN: Finally is there any other horse we should be looking out for this year?

PC: I think Thrilla In Manila (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who’s entered in the G1 2000 Guineas, really could be anything. He’s definitely one to keep on the right side of, and we hope to see him in the Greenham, which is looking like it’s going to be quite a hot race.

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