Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup-winning owner Sean Phillips summed up the roller coaster ride he has enjoyed with his prized horse Wild One when saying at the end of his victory speech on Saturday, “He’s my Wild One”, and this will certainly become of one of racing’s feel good stories of the year.

Despite being six-years-of-age the Mike de Kock-trained Scott Brothers-bred Mogok gelding is at present as sound as a bell and relatively lightly raced, so he will likely be an interesting contender this season in big races like the Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup and others.

In Wild One’s first start for De Kock in May last year he gave Phillips a first ever Graded victory, winning the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m, and he followed up by finishing a 0,5 length second in the Gold Cup over 3200m.

However, a soft tissue injury then saw him side-lined.

Phillips later reached a point where he had  become “disappointed” with the game and organised a  dispersal sale at Summerveld.

He takes up the story, “I expected to get at least half-a-million for Wild One but he quickly went down from 500, to 400, 300, 200, I put in an offer at 200 and nobody else counterbid. I believed he was worth far more than that so kept him.”

The lack of bidding was perhaps not surprising considering the long layoff and Wild One also having been a notable scratching from the SANSUI Summer Cup.

In fact De Kock had initially believed the injury might be “career ending”, and praised Phillips for his “heart and patience” and allowing the yard time to bring the horse back to soundness.

The amazing faith Phillips showed in the gallant bay gelding has paid handsome dividends as he has earned over a million rand in his first three comeback runs.

Furthermore, Phillips admitted the Gold Cup win had “most definitely” re-ignited his own fervour for the game.

Phillips praised “the genius” of De Kock. He added that without disputing the skills of his many friends in training he was now of the firm belief that it was a “must” to send a top horse to a trainer who had had a lot of big race experience and success and this was especially the case where there was international opportunity, which he believed Wild One had. He said, “It’s these type of wins that make us come back.”

Wild One’s win provided De Kock with a third Gold Cup victory and saw Anthony Delpech ending a hoodoo, as he has come second in the country’s premier staying race on no fewer than six occasions.

De Kock and Delpech had an early morning start last Tuesday when leaving the Wild Coast at 4:30 a.m in order to gallop Wild One at Summerveld, before returning to the coastal resort to play in the second round of the popular Gold Circle Racing Masters golf tournament. De Kock said before and after the race that Wild One had enjoyed an absolutely  faultless preparation.

Phillips, having begun Saturday just thrilled to have two Gold Cup horses running in his colours, was pinching himself as the other one, the Joey Soma-trained Savage Wind, finished third.

He said, “I’m over the moon and very happy for Joey too, he’s done a great job for us as well.”

Wild One was spotted at the Suncoast Casino KZN Yearling Sale of 2011 by Summerveld trainer Jeff Freedman, who bought him for R95,000.

Phillips became the sole owner and it was soon clear that he and Freedman had a good horse in their hands.

However, the first up-and-down moment happened on day one of Wild One’s racing career.

The connections were confident he would win that debut over 1450m at Clairwood on 10 October, 2012 and Wild One was consequently backed in from 25/1 to 48/10. He duly won, but alas, the hot favourite Flyfirstclass was then declared a non-runner, having been adjudged to have not had a fair start, and all bookmaker winning bets were subjected to a massive deduction.

Wild One was already showing signs of ideally needing further after a subsequent third in the Listed KZN Guineas Trial and a strong-finishing sixth in the Dingaans.

In his second career victory over 1600m at Greyville he ran all over the course and has raced in blinkers ever since.

In first-time blinkers he was a very unlucky 0,5 length second in the Listed Derby Trial at Turffontein.

Potential buyers began showing an interest after he had subsequently finished third in the Gr 1 SA Derby over 2450m, having been dropped out from a wide draw and running on strongly.

However, Phillips held on and a dream came true when Wild One was accepted into the 2013 Vodacom Durban July field, despite an unlucky unplaced run in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000. Wild One finished unplaced in the July but Phillips, dressed in his yellow and red suit to reflect the colours, had a memorable day out with family and friends.

Freedman then took a share in the horse, but Wild One appeared to lose his way a bit and five runs later, after finishing fourth out of five runners in a Non-Black Type event over 1950m at Scottsville, Phillips wondered whether the horse was as good as they had originally believed. He was probably lamenting not having accepted those earlier offers to sell.

There was more disappointment next time out when only managing a 5,5 length fourth in a Graduation Plate over 1600m at Clairwood, although in retrospect the winner was none other than Futura.

However, Phillips retained faith and after becoming sole owner again he sent the horse to De Kock.

Having shown such versatility in his last three runs from 1600m up to 3200m the world now appears to be Wild One’s oyster and Phillips is in for some more of those heady highs and lows that are always part and parcel of the Sport Of Kings.

By David Thiselton

CEO Sean Coleman said: “It’s a matter of economics. Our margins are tight and we are averaging only ten or 11% gross profit on turnover which is less than half what the Tote gets. Its take-out averages 25%.

“There will still be some bookmakers offering ante-post but as an industry we have taken the view that there will be no more ante-post market – as it has traditionally been called – two days in advance of local meetings.

“But there will continue to be ante-post betting on the big feature race festivals like the July, Met, Summer Cup, Gold Cup, Emerald Cup etc.”

Coleman added that for most races and most bookmakers prices will go up at 10.00am on the day of the race and he maintains that the change will suit the majority of punters.

He explained: “The sharpies and the shrewdies like to get on early but most can’t afford to tie up their money 48 hours in advance. They want to invest and get a return.”

Several of the big firms are taking a slightly different line to the SABA policy change and Betting World, the biggest of them, says that it will price up all races at least 24 hours beforehand. Marshalls already price up the previous afternoon and the company plans to continue with this approach “If the market proves sufficiently settled.”

Hollywood has still to decide on a plan of action – “we are betwixt and between”- but it had its Fairview prices up at 9.00am last Friday and, interestingly, claimed that it was the first of the major players to do so.

Seemingly even the SABA could change its stance if the new policy proves unpopular with punters and they vote with their feet. Coleman said: “This is not cast in stone but rather something we would like to try.”

By Michael Clower

Dean Kannemeyer is toying with the idea of having a crack at the Sansui Summer Cup with his Vodacom Durban July hero Power King.

He said: “In weight-for-age races like the J & B Met Power King would be only about a kilo off the top weight so, with the satellite yard I now have at Summerveld, maybe we should continue to train him there and raid Johannesburg for top races like the Summer Cup (November 28).

“This is something that I have been giving thought to and I will talk to Lady Laidlaw about it and also discuss it with Jehan Malherbe.”

Kannemeyer has had success with raiding Jo’burg in the past, but from Cape Town, notably with Free My Heart in the 2002 Horse Chestnut. He sent the seven-time Grade 1 winner by plane four days before the race and he won comfortably.

Free My Heart went on to win the Champions Cup but Kannemeyer has no regrets about taking Power King out of last Saturday’s big race, saying: “The July was tough, he ran his heart out and he was tired afterwards.”

By Michael Clower

The Mike de Kock-trained Wild One went one better than last year when winning the country’s premier staying race, the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m, at a sun-bathed Greyville yesterday under Anthony Delpech.

Later the country’s highest rated horse, the Justin Snaith-trained Futura, secured the Equus Horse Of The Year title with a stunning victory in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m under Bernard Fayd’Herbe, despite not getting the best of starts.

The Scott Brothers-bred six-year-old Mogok gelding Wild One provided a first Gr 1 win for passionate Hillcrest-based owner Sean Phillips and his yellow and red colours also flashed past the post in third place as he owns a share in the Joey Soma-trained Savage Wind.

It was a third Gold Cup win for De Kock and a first for Delpech. The latter had finished second in the race on no fewer than six occasions.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained rank outsider Balance Sheet ran a gallant second. The Dominic Zaki-trained Gauteng raider Storm Warning ran fourth and the Geoff Woodruff-trained Wild Ash was the first female home in fifth place.

After his narrow second in last year’s Gold Cup, Wild One was given a ten month layoff due to a soft tissue injury. De Kock said that he had come back sounder than ever and his problems appeared now to be behind him. This has been shown in his recent starts, as he finished second in both the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m and the KZN Breeders Million Mile in his two comeback runs.

Kingston Mines led for the first half of the race and Savage Wind then took it up. Wild One was beautifully positioned in a handy position throughout.

Savage Wind set sail for home on the inside rail and looked full of running, but Wild One soon had his measure. Balance Sheet then appeared from nowhere and looked dangerous, but as he came alongside the blinkered Wild One the latter found another gear and surged to the line a one length winner. Balance Sheet pipped the gallant Savage Wind for second. Storm Warning stayed on well to catch Wild Ash and secure the final quartet position.

Phillips had a dispersal sale in January and expected to get a good price for Wild One, but it was not to be. However, his decision to buy him back for R200,000 has now paid dividends.

Summerveld trainer Jeff Freedman found Wild One at the KZN Yearling Sale and bought him for R95,000, before training him for Phillips for his first couple of seasons.

In the Champions Cup Futura appeared to hit the gate before they had opened and lost a little bit of ground early. He consequently had to be used up quite significantly to find a good position and this left many of his supporters a tad concerned. His stablemate and chief rival Legislate began pulling his way around horses just before they turned for home and the Charles Laird-trained Ice Machine was sitting in behind him ominously. When Ice Machine switched out it looked race over because he showed his usual magnificent acceleration to shoot past Legislate and he had Futura in his sights.  However, the incredible Futura, despite having used that early energy, clawed his way back after being overtaken and got his nose in front on the line. Legislate finished third.

The five-year-old entire Futura, owned by John Freeman, Jack Mitchell and Drakenstein Stud and bred by Guy Murdoch, will be a most deserved winner of the Horse of The Year Award as he also won the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and J&B Met. However, his sire Dynasty will not be so lucky because the prize money for the Champions Cup counts towards the new season and he would otherwise likely have overtaken Captain Al and won the National Sires title.

The Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m saw one of the meeting bankers, the Mike Azzie-trained Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada, keeping his unbeaten record in impressive style under Marcus.

He was given a lead by his stablemate High Game and went for his run down the inside. Meanwhile, the Zaki-trained raider Prospect Strike and Rabada’s stablemate Abashiri were flying home on the outside.

However, Rabada held on to win by 0,75 lengths with Abashiri a shorthead further back. Mogok Master and Nephrite were next best.

It was the third time Azzie had won this race. Rabada was bred by Summerhill Stud and is owned by Markus and Ingrid Jooste.

Earlier, the De Kock-trained Ideal World filly Persian Rug looked to have the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes wrapped up as she hit the front early in the straight and was beginning to stretch away from them. However, she dug her toes in when she came to the grandstand shadow and this allowed the Duncan Howells-trained Elusive Fort filly Lauderdale to take the lead and stay on to win under Muzi Yeni. The Mike Azzie-trained Querari filly Melliflora stayed on well for a 0,25 length second and Persian Rug came back in eyecatching fashion for third. The latter looks to be a class sort in the making. Flying Ice was another unlucky horse as she had to come wide into the straight and then had to be switched inward. She only finished 0,75 back in tie fourth. The favourite Chestnuts N Pearls was having her first run in the Drakenstein Stud silks as a share was sold in her after her fluent win in the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Golden Slipper Stakes over 1400m. She was lying in a handy position turning for home and ran on for tie fourth. Lauderdale is owned by Brian Burnard and was bred by Dr RJ Antrobus.

The Gr 2 Gold Bracelet saw a deserved win for the ever improving Joey Ramsden-trained Silvano filly Gallica Rose, who produced a late run to overtake the De Kock-trained Estidraaj and the Snaith-trained Acrostar was third.

The Mike Bass-trained Trippi gelding Night Trip retained his Listed Darley Arabian crown over 1600m on the poly with a flying finish under Anton Marcus, despite being eleven points higher in the merit ratings and carrying topweight.

By David Thiselton

All the pieces but one are in place for Wild One to complete the puzzle in today’s Gr 1 eLAN Properties Group Gold Cup. Injury, illness, bad draws and bad rides can often scupper well laid plans but Mike de Kock looks to have avoided all those pitfalls and given some luck in the running at Greyville this afternoon, Wild One will fit the final piece to the jigsaw and go one better than last year for owner Sean Phillips.

Wild One has long been the ante-post favourite after two exceptional efforts in his lead-up. Second to Wavin’ Flag last year, the gelding was not seen out until June this year where he made his seasonal debut in the Cup Trial over 1800m, a distance regarded by most pundits as way too short.

He trailed most of the field turning for home but then unleashed a powerful late run under Anthony Delpech to finish runner-up to the rejuvenated Punta Arenas. Next up was a crack at the KZN Million Mile and again he switched on the afterburners in the straight to run Gr 1 winning “miler” Bezanova to within a length.

Although racing off a six-point higher rating than last year, the handicappers have only given Wild One a single point increase for his last two showings. Given his record over ground, a plum draw at five and a handy galloping weight, only bad luck in running or an exceptional performance by one of the opposition stands in his way.

That performance could come in the form of Solid Speed. Dean Kannemeyer has had an exceptional Champions Season and while Power King provided the icing by winning the Vodacom Durban July, Solid Speed can add the cherry.

Power King carried the silks of Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables and Kannemeyer and Stuart Randolph would pull off a rare double should Solid Speed prevail for Khaya Stables.

Since arriving for Champions Season Solid Speed has landed the Highland Night Cup and the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, both over 2400m, and then went down less than a length in the 3000m Gold Vase lumping 60kg.

He was not stopping in the Vase and with 7kg off his back and an inside draw this afternoon the extra furlong should hold no fears and he looks the biggest threat to Wild One.

Bookmakers are giving very little away with the majority of the 16-horse field quoted at 16-1 and less so they are expecting a tight finish. However, Wild One and Solid Speed have everything in their favour and can inflict some financial damage on the gentleman of the crossbar.

Highlight of the meeting and a fitting end to the season – although strictly speaking a day over into the new term – will be the clash between stable companions Futura and Legislate in the Gr 1 Champions Cup; at stake the Equus Horse of the Year crown currently held by Legislate.

It has been a tumultuous year for the connections of both horses with illness and backroom discord amongst the various owners adding some intrigue. Justin Snaith has been treading on egg shells since both horses ended up in his yard and it has been a difficult juggling act trying to keep all happy and picking the right races.

After his move from Brett Crawford, Futura won his opener for Snaith rather more easily than the winning margin would suggest, but there were a few raised eyebrows when the stable companions met in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. Legislate, dictating from the jump, kept finding while Futura, trailing for much of the race, got going too late to affect the result.

Since then the two have taken opposite routes into today’s race with Futura finishing a very creditable fourth in the VDJ under top weight while Legislate was caught for finishing speed in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint won by Captain Of All.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe is back aboard Futura and with the two drawn alongside each other and over what looks to be the optimum trip for both, we will hopefully be in for a fascinating tactical battle.

Of the balance, although Punta Arenas had two lengths to spare over Futura in the July he is now 3.5kg worse off and looks held, particularly if judged on the J&B Met form, while Ice Machine’s stamina limitations were exposed in the July and he will be much more at home over today’s trip and he is fully capable of an upset.

Best bets

Greyville

Race 2: (6) In Other Words

Greyville

Race 6: (12) Rabada

Greyville

Race 8: (1) Futura

By Andrew Harrison