Rebel's Romance Digs Deep in Princess of Wales's Stakes

The globetrotting Rebel's Romance (IRE) justified heavy favoritism in gutsy fashion in the July 9 Princess of Wales's Stakes (G2) at Newmarket Racecourse for owner/breeder Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby. The 8-year-old is now 22-1-2 in 32 starts with earnings of $15,650,493. It was the third winner of the day for Appleby after earlier successes for Inner City Blues (IRE) in the July Stakes (G2) at Newmarket and Quest For Stars (FR) in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. Rebel's Romance, a nine-time group/grade 1 winner, was hot on the heels of stablemate Arabian Crown (FR), who set the pace for most of the contest, before William Buick got to work on Rebel's Romance approaching the final furlong. The veteran responded gamely to win by a half-length with Arabian Crown a hard-trying second. The latter finished 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Almeric (GB) in third. The winning trainer said, "It's like watching one of your kids go up and down in a relay race. "It was lovely to come up here today. He broke his turf maiden here back in the day, so to bring him back today was fitting. He showed all the signs that he still wanted it. He'll tell us the day he doesn't want to do it anymore, but he's as good as ever, and he's out there doing what he enjoys. "The team does a fantastic job of looking after him. He's like a pet." The gelded son of Dubawi (IRE) had not been seen on a British racecourse since finishing third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot last year, and it was just his second start of the season, having won the Dubai City of Gold (G2T) in February. Rebel's Romance won the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) in 2024 and 2022 and finished runner-up to Ethical Diamond (IRE) last year. An attempt to regain his crown remains a possibility. Appleby added, "Of course, we'd love to go to the Breeders' Cup, but I don't want to pigeonhole him. We'll take it day by day and see how he comes out of this. If he still shows as much enthusiasm next week as he did today, then it'd be under consideration." Last year, Rebel's Romance took the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Aqueduct Racetrack ahead of the Breeders' Cup. The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic returns to a redesigned Belmont Park this fall. He prepped overseas prior to winning the 2022 and 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf. This year's Breeders' Cup takes place this fall at Keeneland, where Rebel's Romance registered his first Breeders' Cup triumph.