Rebel's Romance, a globetrotting champion, won his fifth top-level title with another convincing performance Sunday in the Group 1, US$1,664,298 Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup in Sha Tin.
The Godolphin homebred, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, became the first foreign winner of the 124-year-old turf race, which is currently run at around 1 1/2 miles.
“You always respect the local horses in Hong Kong, and he had to travel over, so the team has done a great job,” Buick stated. “He looked magnificent beforehand like he always does.”
Dubawi's son arrived in Hong Kong having already won group and graded races in five nations, including the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland and a dominant performance in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at Meydan.
“Rebel’s Romance has been to America, Qatar, Dubai, Germany, and now Hong Kong, which has always been on our bucket list,” Appleby noted. “I am delighted we had the right horse to win a race here.”
Rebel's Romance (2-5) advanced across the field to finish in a clear second after the first quarter-mile, 1 1/2 lengths behind Moments In Time (18-1).
Rebel's Romance closed on Moments In Time in the straight and pulled away from the field after claiming the lead three-sixteenths of a mile from home. The 6-year-old gelding finished strongly, two lengths ahead of deep-closing Five G Patch (6-1). After stalking early, La City Blanche (15-1) finished another 1 1/4 lengths back, earning trainer Tony Cruz second and third place. Moments In Time faded, finishing fourth.
“The race went the way I hoped it would,” Buick remarked. “It suited Rebel’s Romance with an even gallop the whole way, and he kept building it up. He’s become a very uncomplicated horse and is a real international superstar.”
On a solid right-handed circuit, the winning time was 2:25.62 without a run-up for 2,400 meters, 15 yards shy of 1 1/2 miles.
Appleby said Rebel's Romance would return to the United States before possibly competing in the 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase (G1) at Sha Tin in December.
Rebel's Romance, whose career began with a 2020 victory on the all-weather course in Newcastle, England, improved his record to 19: 13-0-0. With Sunday's first-place share of US$927,540, his profits increased to $8,892,772.