Rebel's Romance

Charlie Appleby Outlines Plans for U.S. Team

NEWMARKET,UK--Charlie Appleby, who is aiming for a fourth victory in the first of the major British Classic trials, Thursday's G3 Craven S., has outlined plans for his team of Godolphin horses currently stabled at Keeneland. One of those, Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), landed the Craven back in 2021 before being beaten a short-head when second in the 2,000 Guineas. Now six, he claimed the Maker's Mark Mile Saturday to notch his third Grade I strike in North America, including last season's Breeders' Cup Mile. "Master winning last...

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Laurel River Leads Latest Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings

Following his dominant victory in the G1 Dubai World Cup, Juddmonte Farms' homebred Laurel River (Into Mischief) is at the top of the second edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2024 with a rating of 128. The 6-year-old was never threatened in the World Cup, romping home by 8 1/2 lengths over Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre) (120 on the Longine rankings), with Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) (121) a neck back in third. Laurel River came into the race having won the G3 Burj Nahaar by 6 3/4 lengths...

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Rebel's Romance To Take His Show Back On The Road

Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar before causing a mild surprise over a star-studded field in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 30, is scheduled to travel overseas yet again for his next start. "He shipped back to Newmarket a couple of days ago, shipped well, and I think we'll stick with plan A and probably head to Hong Kong for the [May 26 G1 Standard Chartered] Champions and Chater there," trainer Charlie Appleby told Equidia's Katherine Ford Callier...

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Rebel's Romance A Shock Sheema Winner As Auguste Rodin Disappoints

On a day where connections worldwide were treated to the very best racing in the UAE, Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) ran out a shock 28-1 winner of the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. It was a race of contrasting emotions for two of the powerhouse stables in Europe as Aidan O'Brien's dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), sent off a 5-4 favourite, trailed home in last. But the day belonged to Rebel's Romance, who was placed prominently by...

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Rebel's Romance Leaves Rivals In the Doha Dust

Godolphin's globetrotting  Rebel's Romance (Ire) (g, 6, Dubawi {Ire}--Minidress {GB}, by Street Cry {Ire}) entered Saturday's $2.5-million G3 H.H. The Amir Trophy as one of three Group 1 winners in the field of 11, yet still had something to prove. Winless since causing a mild surprise in the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland, the homebred failed--for a variety of reasons--in two tries in America last summer, but hinted at a return to his best with an eye-catching victory at Kempton in December. He was a somewhat unexpected entry...

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Newly Upgraded Amir Trophy Attracts Deepest-Ever Field

Officials at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club announced in early 2023 that the purse for the country's richest Thoroughbred test, the H.H. The Amir Trophy, would be receiving a boost from an even $1-million to $2.5 million. A strong renewal won by the Hong Kong-based former Ballydoyle galloper Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) helped to ensure that the 2400-metre contest would be accorded Group 3 status for the 2024 running, and the Amir Trophy has accordingly attracted the most competitive field in the history of the race. Shadwell's Israr...

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War Like Goddess Goes Back-To-Back in the Joe Hirsch

Her sire won the 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Turf in similarly soft underfoot conditions not far away at Monmouth Park, and George Krikorian's War Like Goddess (English Channel) found the ease in the ground very much to her liking, motoring down the center of the waterlogged course to successfully defend her title in Saturday's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct. With Junior Alvarado at the controls for the first time, the $30,000 OBS June bargain lingered towards the back of the pack through the early exchanges, racing in the...

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A Graded Stakes Saturday We Never Want To End

The parade of graded stakes races this Saturday is like a Christmas tree laden with presents. Towards the end of the celebration, as the wadded paper congregates, there will be a customary wistfulness that slowly sets in. We never want it to end. With 17, yes 17, graded races on the docket--nine of those have Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' status--it is going to be a splendid day to receive as Belmont at the Big A, Keeneland Race Course, Woodbine Racetrack, Gulfstream Park, Hastings Racecourse and Santa Anita Park...

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Rebel's Romance To Miss Arlington Million

Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was to be rerouted to next Saturday's GI Arlington Million at Colonial Downs after going down in the July 30 GII Bowling Green S., will reportedly miss the race, a tweet from Godolphin read. The 5-year-old, whose previous trip to America resulted in a 2 1/2-length victory in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf, missed a prep for this year's G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and was forced to train up to the 2410-meter feature, only to finish 11 lengths back of the world's...

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Mullen Remains Hospitalized After Sunday Saratoga Fall

Jockey Richard Mullen, who was unseated from GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Sunday's GII Bowling Green S., remains hospitalized Monday in Albany, NY. Mullen, who reportedly has "a broken collarbone, thumb, ribs and three fractured vertebrae" thanked well-wishers via social media Monday afternoon. Godolphin also rleased a statement early Monday morning that read: "Richard Mullen was unseated from Rebel's Romance during the Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga on Sunday, 30 July. He received immediate medical attention at the course and was assessed to...

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Appleby Wins Second Consecutive Flat Trainers' Championship

For the second straight year, Newmarket-based trainer Charlie Appleby was honored with the Derby Award as 2022's champion flat trainer by the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA). The 47-year-old Appleby so far this year has been represented by 150 winners and 225 seconds from 478 starters-a 31 percent win rate-and his runners have earned £6,225,397. Among those victories were 18 European Group winners-three Group 1s-including a one-two finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas with Coroebus (Dubawi [Ire]) and Native Trail (Oasis Dream {GB}), a first victory for the...

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Once A Dirt Demon, Now a 'Rebel' With a Cause On Turf

Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) began his 4-year-old season as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's best hope for the G1 Dubai World Cup, what with his towering success in the G2 UAE Derby as a sophomore. When things on the main track went belly-up over the winter at Meydan, trainer Charlie Appleby and team were compelled to call an audible and switched the gelding--clearly bred to handle the turf--to that surface. The decision has paid off in spades, as the lanky dark bay ran his grass record to five...

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