Special bond and special win in Warragul Cup

There are plenty of “emotional victories” in harness racing – but for Michelle Phillips and her rising star “best mate” Sebs Choice’s, their cup win at Warragul today was a pretty big moment.

It was the first pacing cup success in Phillips’ career – emotional in itself, but by her own admission “anything to do with this horse is just so special to me”.

“He’s been like my emotional support horse – it’s hard to explain, but he’s one in a million to me, we’ve just got a bond like I’ve never had with another horse,” Phillips said.

“I was in a pretty dark place when I met him, and when things were rough, I’d just go and sit in his box for a couple of hours.  He’d come over and he’d spend some time with me, and it seriously got me through.  He means the world to me, and I’d go to the end of the earth for him.”

Sebs Choice started brilliantly from barrier two and shot to the lead in the $35,000 Warragul Pacing Bowl Cup but was eyeballed throughout by Echuca and Charlton cup winner Demon Delight. The Bettor’s Delight gelding knuckled down impressively over final stages of the 2627 metre journey to score a dominant win over Imnopumpkin and 15 metres back, Demon Delight.

Phillips admitted she was “shocked and proud” at the Seb’s Delight’s grit over the final stages.

“He pulled up a bit fat from Warragul and his 100 percent hasn’t hit his race fitness yet.  Once he does that, well he proved today what he can do.

“Bully (trainer John Nicholson) has done a brilliant job with this horse.  He didn’t push him when others probably would have in his three-year-old career.  I think now we’re going to see the best of him, and I think he’s going to be one of the best around.

“He’s stepped up to be a whole new horse after his 3yo season, and the win at Warragul was pretty special, because it was my first pacing cup, it was with Sebby, and it was my hometown cup.  I’m still in shock.”

Sebs Choice was a last-start winner at Melton, and Phillips said although she expected the pacer to acquit himself well at Warragul, she was well aware he was racing out of his class.

“He’s an 86 and it was a race for 90 – 120 horses, so it was a big step up.  But he’s been flying.  He got home in 25.8 at Melton, but we were still hoping he wasn’t a bit underdone.

“We were hoping to get to the front and get it easy, which he didn’t, but he still kicked away and came out on top.”

Sebs Choice will now be set for the four-year-old APG Gold heats next week, and if all goes to plan, the final on May 7 at Menangle.

“Then after that, hopefully we will go to Queensland for the Rising Sun,” Phillips said.

“Wherever that horse goes, I go, I hope, so that will be exciting.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink