Prince Abdul Ali Yil Kabier, the money behind mysterious investment bank Scepter, is a skilful polo player who is a regular on horseback at the Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club at Jerudong, in a lush part of north-west Brunei.

Thousands of kilometres away in leafy Adelaide and astride a different type of steed, John Ellice-Flint, a former chief executive of oil and gas company Santos, had been increasingly fuming on his regular 70-kilometre-plus bike rides through the Adelaide Hills and along the coast.