Dual Breeders’ Cup winner Rebel’s Romance completed back-to-back successes in Qatar’s biggest race last weekend – in the process forcing his way back into the world’s Top Five.
A 26-point boost on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings pushes Godolphin’s globetrotting star up to #5 (from #9) behind world leader Romantic Warrior, who heads to this weekend’s Saudi Cup having achieved 31 consecutive weeks at the summit.
Now seven, Rebel’s Romance claimed the $2.5 million HH Amir’s Trophy in straightforward fashion, making most of the running under William Buick (stays at #4, +31pt) before scoring by a length from The Foxes.
Indeed, there was more fuss about the scheduling of the race itself. The showpiece was postponed 24 hours and moved to Al Uqda, usually a training venue, following the abandonment of Saturday’s card at original venue Al Rayyan after just one race when two runners slipped and were brought down on the home turn.
Although the Amir’s Trophy is considered only a G3 event on the international scale, Rebel’s Romance has won seven G1s with major events in the US, Germany, Hong Kong and Dubai on his impressive CV.
“Rebel’s Romance is the ultimate warhorse, who doesn’t know how to lie down,” commented trainer Charlie Appleby (stays at #3, +49pt).
“He has gone out there with his heart on his sleeve and put up another great performance. William knows the horse inside out and has ridden him with a lot of confidence again.
“We will ship Rebel’s Romance back to Newmarket and plot the same route that we took last year, giving him a little break in preparation for the Dubai Sheema Classic. It’s one race at a time with him these days, and we will enjoy every moment.”
Elsewhere, the Australian autumn programme is creaking into life, with the evergreen Fangirl (#35 from #99, +121pt) retaining her crown in the G2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick, where she claimed some notable scalps.
Back in third on her first-up run over an inadequate seven-furlong trip was world #4 Via Sistina (stays at #4, -21pt), one place ahead of rising star Ceolwulf (#34 from #37, -8pt), twice a G1 winner in the spring.
Another filly, in the shape of 25-1 shot Skybird (#72 from #369, +233pt), won the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington, the famous G1 event that is so often a springboard to Royal Ascot.
• View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires
‘He’s just a superstar’ – Romantic Warrior confirms world-leading status with tenth G1 win in Dubai
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• Unlike traditional methods of racehorse rankings, TRC Global Rankings are a measure of an individual’s level of achievement over a rolling three-year period, providing a principled hierarchy of the leading horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and sires using statistical learning techniques. Racehorse rankings can be compared to similar exercises in other sports, like the golf’s world rankings or the ATP rankings in tennis.
They are formulated from the last three years of races we consider Group or Graded class all over the world and update automatically each week according to the quality of a horse’s performances and their recency, taking into account how races work out.