Phil Cunningham recalls the life-changing day that Cockney Rebel reached racing’s summit in the 2000 Guineas

GUINEAS glory proved a life-changing moment for diamond geezer Phil Cunningham. When Cockney Rebel won the colt’s Classic in 2007 at 25-1, most racing fans couldn’t Adam and Eve it. But it wasn’t a surprise to Cunningham, founder and chief of Rebel Racing, whose rise to the top of the sport was nothing short of […]

GUINEAS glory proved a life-changing moment for diamond geezer Phil Cunningham.

When Cockney Rebel won the colt’s Classic in 2007 at 25-1, most racing fans couldn’t Adam and Eve it.

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But it wasn’t a surprise to Cunningham, founder and chief of Rebel Racing, whose rise to the top of the sport was nothing short of meteoric.

And without a slice of beginner’s luck, he would never have sampled the rock ‘n’ roll racing lifestyle.

He said: “My dad was involved with a few horses when I was growing up. I used to go racing with him and made a few contacts over the years.

“When I left college I owned a few greyhounds to start off, then ended up getting a horse with some of my friends.

“One of the first horses I owned in a syndicate was Rebel Rebel. He was a very good horse and he went on to finish second to Foostepsinthesand in the Guineas at 100-1.

“He ran a great race, but I thought that was it, I thought I had used up all my luck early on and never expected to be in the thick of it in a Classic again.

“There were five of us involved in him and we received some hefty offers from America, so the decision was made to sell him to continue his racing career over there.

“I took my share of the money, went to the sales a few months later and bought Cockney Rebel for thirty grand.”

But before his new purchase stepped out onto the track, music-lover Cunningham wanted the blessing of rockstar and Cockney Rebel frontman Steve Harley.

Cunningham continued: “I love my music, when we first started getting horses the kids were young and we would have great fun going to and from the races playing songs and singing along, so that’s where the names come from.

“I wanted to carry on the Rebel Rebel theme and I was playing around on the BHA naming site, but when I typed in Cockney Rebel it flagged up as needing permission.

“Amazingly enough, Cockney’s trainer Geoff Huffer knew someone that knew Steve Harley, so we thought we would ask his permission out of courtesy.

“It turned out he lived just up the road from me and was a big racing fan. He followed the horse throughout his career, he would come to watch him work on the gallops at 5am in the morning, he’s a great guy and he loved the horse.”

The team behind Cockney Rebel were chalk and cheese with racing’s rich list – but they weren’t phased when going up against the might of Coolmore, Godolphin and Juddmonte.

Trainer Geoff Huffer, himself the former drummer in the band Mungo Jerry, was in the third year of a dramatic comeback having fallen into the doldrums in the 90’s with a five-month stint in jail.

Troubled jockey Daragh O’Donohoe had just arrived back in the UK to try and salvage his career after three years abroad and Cunningham had never owned a horse outright before.

But in Cockney Rebel they knew they had something a bit special on their hands.

Cunningham said: “We always knew he was nice. He made his debut on the July Course in Newmarket and I think he was the rag on his debut.

“I had a couple of quid on that day and he went and won easily under Daragh – I got back all the money I spent on him at the sales, so from then on anything else was a bonus!

“Through my life, at college and in my job, statistics has always been my thing. If you look at the stats they tell you that you are much more likely to win the Guineas without a prep run.

“So we skipped the Craven and took him for a racecourse gallop at Lingfield about a week before the Guineas instead. Still to this day, I have never seen a horse work as well as he did on that morning. It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it.”

From that moment on, Cunningham was telling anyone who would listen to back his horse for the 2000 Guineas.

He was still one of the outsiders on the day of the race, but as the one-mile cavalry charge began to unfold it was clear Cunningham’s wildest dreams were being realised.

He recalled: “I remember the day so vividly. It was a massive field and they were going to split into two groups, so our plan was to come stands side, but he was checked coming out of the stalls and was stone last at half way.

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“We actually booked Olivier Peslier for the ride and he was absolutely brilliant. I watched the race back the other day and there is an amazing aerial shot which shows how much ground he makes up. He had so much raw speed it was frightening.

“It was an emotional day, my friends and family were there to enjoy it, Steve Harley was there, it was the greatest moment for Geoff as a trainer.

“I got on at 66-1 antepost the summer before, but he was still a massive price on the day of the race. All my friends backed him, even people in non-racing circles.

“I live in Chelmsford and word had got round about the horse – I heard that in the bookies across town they were queuing out onto the streets to collect their winnings!

“I don’t think I bought a drink when I was at the pub or out at a restaurant for about two months after the race.

“People told me how they’d booked holidays with their winnings, made improvements to their houses – at the price the horse was you didn’t need to have a lot on to win big. It was an amazing experience.

“We’ve had some special days since forming Rebel Racing, with winners at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, but it wouldn’t exist without Cockney. He changed my life.”