Rebel Racing’s Phil Cunningham pays an auction record price of A$2.8 million at Australia's Magic Millions sale

Rebel Racing's Phil Cunningham splashed the cash on his first trip to Australia's Magic Millions sale when he teamed up with Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Ciaron Maher to buy a colt by Snitzel, one of Australia's leading stallions, for an auction record price of A$2.8 million (£1,411,382/€1,682,450).

Cunningham, who was accompanied by his son Aiden, only arrived at the sale ten minutes before the colt went through the ring and he said he was delighted to land the winning blow to secure the youngster.

"Ciaron showed me a list of both colts and fillies and this was the standout, so I thought I would listen to the man that knows and I'm just delighted to be involved," he said.

"This is my first time to Australia – I only turned up ten minutes before he went through the ring. He probably made a little bit more than we thought he was going to be, but we came all this way and just didn't want him to get away. Sales here are completely different with the way they do it here with the auditorium where you can sit and have a drink, it's absolutely amazing."

Son of Snitzel sold for A$2.8 million at Magic MillionsCredit: Magic Millions

Cunningham said he was keen to further his Australian interests, having last year bought a share in juvenile filly Life After Love, who was purchased by Maher at the same sale last year for $825,000. The filly finished fifth in the Magic Millions The Debut at the Gold Coast on December 20 on her only start to date.

"I got involved last year with my friend Peter Trainor, who has a few with Ciaron, and he introduced me to him and we got involved with a filly. She was a possibility to run on Saturday [at the Gold Coast], so we've structured a holiday round that. We decided we want to be a little bit more involved, so we came here today to buy another.

"I think it works better for us here to have a few horses of a slightly higher quality because it gives me the opportunity to come over and see them run, rather than have the numbers I have in England – I think it works out a lot better for us to be a bit more selective."

Having owned horses in many different countries, Cunningham said he was looking to take his operation in a different direction and, while the core of his breeding and racing interests will remain in Britain, he believes his Australian involvement can open up new opportunities.

"I think with the prize-money in Australia being so good there's an opportunity to get some back and there's a lot to learn from here," he said. "I've had horses before in the US, France and tried a few different things in the past.

“Obviously, my core operation will stay in Newmarket and that's where the numbers are, but opening up the connection here is great because I am a really, really bad seller of horses. It opens up the opportunity for us to, rather than sell the horses suitable for here [Australia], we will hold them, or at least an interest in them and move them over here."

When asked whether world domination beckons, Cunningham said: “I am a one man band – I don't own a country, so we have to try and make it pay a little bit, but business has been good and it's allowed me to indulge my hobby and I think this is a great way for us to get involved. No more for us this week, we came for him and it's great we were able to get him."

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