By Sam Turner -
Rebel’s Romance, impressive winner of the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic on Dubai World Cup night, added another Group 1 prize to his impressive cv with a decisive victory in the Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin.
In doing so, the globetrotting star handed trainer Charlie Appleby his first top level success in Hong Kong, while the triumph also meant that the talented six-year-old joined Modern Games as his handler’s winningmost Group 1 winner with five wins.
The son of Dubawi has now secured in excess of AED 31million in a stellar 19-race career and his latest win owed much to his durability and the tactical nous of rider William Buick.
Drawn in stall eight, Buick made sure that he was alive to the prospect of a steady gallop cut out by Lyle Hewitson aboard Moments Of Time who posted modest fractions until the 600m marker.
Hewitson tried to up the tempo from that point, but Buick was alive to the move and galvanised his willing partner to draw alongside and then pinch a couple of hard earned lengths on the front-runner.
From that moment the warm favourite in the international markets was never going to be caught and his rider coould take it relatively easily in the final 100m to secure a two-length success from the staying on Five G Patch.
The cosy success meant that Rebel’s Romance added the Hong Kong triumph to wins in Dubai, the US, Germany and Qatar, cementing his reputation as a global star.
"He's done it really well," said Buick.
"You always respect the local horses in Hong Kong, and he had to travel over here too, so the team have done a great job with him. I thought he looked magnificent beforehand, he always does.
"The race went the way I hoped it would and it suited him, that sort of even gallop the whole way that kept building up. He's become a very uncomplicated horse and he's a real international superstar."
The achievement joined a list of big-race accolades in the country for Godolphin, who have won the Hong Kong Cup, Mile, Vase and the QEII Cup through Saeed bin Suroor.
LEGEND LEADS IN THE NICK OF TIME
There was further Pattern race success for Godolphin and Appleby when Legend Of Time
Overcame trouble in running to snatch a dramatic success in the G2 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday.
Fifth on his US debut earlier this month, the three-year-old stumbled slightly leaving the stalls and was settled in rear by Joel Rosario approaching the back straight, before being caught in a pocket behind White Palomino and Cable Ready passing the furlong pole.
From that point, Legend Of Time quickened smartly when the gap appeared late on and he swooped late to collar White Palomino in the final stride for a head victory.
Rosario said: “I was trying to save ground on Legend Of Time and that’s how we ended up trying to find some room. I was hoping that there would be an opening at some point and it came at the end, so it was lucky.
“That’s how European horses like to do it – they can finish fast – and he’s a lovely horse to ride. I’m very thankful to Charlie and Godolphin for the opportunity.”
