Dubawi's Rebel's Romance Too Good For Glorious Rivals

Back on song in Newmarket's Listed Fred Archer S. last month, last term's G2 UAE Derby hero Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}–Minidress {GB}, by Street Cry {Ire}) continued his winning thread, and that of man-of-the-moment William Buick, with a game victory going two yards shy of 12 furlongs in Friday's G3 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate Glorious S. at Goodwood. The Charlie Appleby-trained 4-5 favourite was steadied to race just off the tempo in fourth initially and slipped to fifth at halfway. Nudged along to reduce arrears with a half-mile remaining, he powered to the front approaching the final furlong and was driven out to deny last year's G2 Queen's Vase-winning stablemate Kemari (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) by a length. Richard Hannon trainee Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) spoilt the Godolphin trifecta ballot and finished 1 3/4 lengths further back in third.

“It was relatively straightforward,” said Buick, whose sixth winner of the meet extended his lead to three ahead of Ryan Moore in the jockeys' table. “He would probably be better off a slightly stronger pace, but he was racing far enough out. Once we got organised, I thought he saw the race off well. He had to stay today as Kemari is a strong stayer. That is only his second run on turf, and obviously his first run on a track like Goodwood, and he has always run on a flat track. I thought he did it very well. He is a good staying horse. As a 3-year-old, he was a hugely exciting horse and won the UAE Derby, so the engine is there. I think he is in the category where he can get 14 furlongs. I have ridden some wonderful horses this week and some really exciting ones for the future. This is what it's all about.”

Assistant trainer Alex Merriam added, “William was delighted with Rebel's Romance. He said he was a classy professional in the race and has seen it out well. The pace ideally could have been a little bit faster for him, but William said that once he got rolling, he has picked up and done it nicely. That is only his second run on turf. He won the UAE Derby and we sort of went down the dirt route this year thinking that might be his way forward. It didn't quite work out, so Charlie brought him back to the turf last time at Newmarket and it seems to have gone well. I spoke to Charlie and he said that today was the target. He has seen that out well, so there is the possibility of stepping up to a mile and six furlongs. We will let the dust settle and see how we go from there.” Reflecting on the performance of Kemari, Merriam continued, “He won a Queen's Vase last year, so he is a horse with plenty of ability. He got a nice lead in front and kept galloping away. Again, he might be one to step up in trip.”

Third-placed Fancy Man is now bound for York's valuable Ebor H., according to Richard Hannon. “This was his last run before the Ebor to see where we were and he has run a super race,” the trainer said. “He will definitely get further and could be a very good horse in Cup races next year. It wouldn't surprise me if he could be competitive in [the G1] Melbourne [Cup] one day.”

Rebel's Romance, one of his sire's 154 pattern-race winners, is the leading performer out of Listed Height Of Fashion S. runner-up Minidress (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), whose three scorers include Listed Cairn Rouge S. placegetter Petticoat (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Minidress is a full-sister to G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy victor Volcanic Sky (GB), with both being produced by G3 Musidora S.-winning G1 Yorkshire Oaks second Short Skirt (GB) (Diktat {GB}), who also ran third in Epsom's G1 Oaks. Rebel Romance's third dam is the excellent producer Much Too Risky (GB) (Bustino {GB}), who has four stakes winners to her credit headed by G2 Prix de Pomone winner Whitewater Affair (GB) (Machiavellian), herself the dam of the multiple Group 1-winning Dubai World Cup hero Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) and G1 Yasuda Kinen winner Asakusa De'nen (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). Short Skirt's three-parts brother Little Rock (GB) (Warning {GB}) annexed the G2 Princess of Wales's S. while Much Too Risky is kin to G1 Irish St Leger hero Arctic Owl (GB) (Most Welcome {GB}) and G1 Sydney Cup winner Marooned (GB) (Mill Reef). Minidress has the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and a yearling filly by Golden Horn (GB) to come.

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
L'ORMARINS QUEEN'S PLATE GLORIOUS S.-G3, £100,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 4yo/up, 11f 218yT, 2:34.89, g/f.
1–REBEL'S ROMANCE (IRE), 129, g, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Minidress (GB) (SP-Eng), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Short Skirt (GB), by Diktat (GB)
3rd Dam: Much Too Risky (GB), by Bustino (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £56,710. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE, 9-6-0-0, $655,139. *1/2 to Petticoat (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), SP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kemari (GB), 129, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Koora (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (400,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Fittocks Stud (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £21,500.
3–Fancy Man (Ire), 129, c, 4, Pride Of Dubai (Aus)–Fancy (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (€30,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Michael Pescod; B-Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £10,760.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 0.80, 12.00, 8.50.
Also Ran: Global Storm (Ire), John Leeper (Ire), Max Vega (Ire), Desert Encounter (Ire), Regal Reality (GB). Scratched: Foxes Tales (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

A 1-2-4 for Charlie Appleby & @godolphin as Rebel's Romance records successive victories, landing the G3 Glorious Stakes in good style @Goodwood_Races pic.twitter.com/BrpVTJoeel

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 29, 2022