 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |
Rebel's Romance roaring back to top form, setting sights on California conquest
Charlie Appleby's globe-trotting star Rebel's Romance bouncing back to his brilliant best, reclaiming his Preis von Europa crown in Cologne on Sunday and now primed for a tilt at a second Breeders' Cup Turf victory.
The 6YO gelding, a son of the mighty Dubawi, proving once again he's a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. Under the expert guidance of William Buick, Rebel's Romance digging deep to secure a game victory in the Gr.1 Preis von Europa, echoing his triumph in the same race two years prior.
This latest German Group One success adding another glittering chapter to Rebel's Romance's already impressive CV, which includes back-to-back top-level triumphs in Germany in 2021 and that memorable Breeders' Cup Turf victory at Keeneland in 2022.
The Newmarket handler wasting no time in mapping out Rebel's Romance's next big target, with all roads now leading to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup Turf on 2 November.
"We are delighted to see Rebel's Romance win the Preis von Europa again. He deserved to get his head back in front following a very creditable run in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes," Appleby said on the Godolphin website.
"I think he will come forward for this as we just eased off slightly after Ascot. We don't leave horses too short for Group One races, but he wasn't quite as fit as he was heading into his last run."
"He is entitled to come on for this and we can look forward to the Breeders' Cup Turf."
Rebel's Romance's Cologne victory marking yet another stamp on his well-travelled passport. The Godolphin flag-bearer kicking off his 2023 campaign in spectacular fashion, landing the Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March before jetting off to Hong Kong to claim the Gr.1 Champions & Chater Cup in May.
A return to British soil saw Rebel's Romance finishing a commendable third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July, before his successful German raid at the weekend.
The Breeders' Cup Turf, a race steeped in history, has seen its fair share of repeat winners. The legendary Conduit securing back-to-back victories in 2008 and 2009, while the incomparable High Chaparral achieved an unprecedented feat by dead-heating in 2003 after his outright win in 2002.
Now, Rebel's Romance aiming to etch his name alongside these turf titans. His 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf triumph at Keeneland seeing him surge clear in the closing stages to defeat Stone Age by a commanding two and a quarter lengths.
With his confidence sky-high following his German success, Rebel's Romance now looking to prove that lightning can indeed strike twice on the biggest stage in American turf racing.
As the autumn leaves begin to fall, all eyes in the racing world turning to Santa Anita. Will Rebel's Romance's remarkable globetrotting odyssey culminate in another crowning moment under the California sun? The stage is set for what promises to be a thrilling renewal of the Breeders' Cup Turf.