Godolphin’s UAE Derby hero Rebel’s Romance landed his biggest career prize by taking the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppergarten in Germany on Sunday.
The homebred Dubawi gelding under James Doyle held off the late challenge of local runners Nerik and Ardakan to win by a neck and a length and-a-quarter.
The Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old was making just his third start on turf after wins in the Listed Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket in June and the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate Glorious Stakes at Goodwood last month.
Rebel’s Romance was raced on the dirt and all-weather in his first seven starts before switching to turf this year.
“He travelled round really smoothly. It’s interesting, he had a different start to most of our horses,” Doyle said.
“We trained him for the dirt and he ended up winning the UAE Derby and the switch to turf, I have to say, he feels like he’s definitely improved for it.
“He came to today’s race relatively unexposed with only a couple of starts on turf but he’s taken to it well and I thought he did a super job.
“He travelled round really smoothly, I ended a bit further back than ideal but he was a bit boisterous beforehand so I wanted to make sure he relaxed properly first and he showed a good kick at the top of the straight.”
Appleby added: “Rebel’s Romance has got a nice progressive profile, we’ve probably been running him on the wrong surface for so many years but now we’ve switched him to turf he’s three from three and enjoying it.
“He’s got a nice profile and I wouldn’t like to say where we’ll end up with him. We’re very pleased with him and it was a great ride by James.”
There was a bit of a disappointment for Godolphin later in the day when their 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace hero Coroebus could manage only fifth behind the Frankie Dettori-ridden Inspiral in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in France.
The Dubawi colt bidding for a Group 1 hat-trick was slow out of the widest stall nine. He made smooth headway under William Buick but weekend on the final furlong.
