English/Ire
Appleby off the mark at Ascot thanks to reliable Rebel’s Romance
Charlie Appleby’s Royal Ascot drought was ended when the reliable Rebel’s Romance galloped on relentlessly to land the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes on the final day of the meeting.
A winner of four Group or Grade 1 contests over a mile and a half, Charlie Appleby's beloved global superstar was dropping back to his favoured trip having scrambled home over further in the Yorkshire Cup earlier in the season.
Kept wide in the early stages by the in-form William Buick, Rebel's Romance travelled strongly and was poised to pounce as the bell rung to signal the turn for home. Once asked to pick up by Buick, he lengthened his stride and soon opened a clear advantage over his rivals in the straight.
Al Riffa emerged from the pack and set off in hot pursuit of the leader. It briefly looked as though Jospeh O'Brien's charge was going to make things interesting in the closing stages, but Rebel's Romance seemingly found more as the thunder hooves of Al Riffa inched closer, staying on strongly to land the spoils by a length and three quarters at odds of 6/4.
Amo Racing's new £2 million pound purchase Ghostwriter kept on to finish a further length and a half behind in third.
The son of Dubawi has amassed over £10.6 million in prize money and now won 18 of his 26 career starts, creating a glittering global CV in the process which features top-level wins in Germany, Dubai, America and England.
The victory was a first at Royal Ascot for the likeable seven-year-old and a debut success in Group 1 company on home soil.
Appleby, who was ending a three-year drought at the Royal meeting, said: "People often ask me about Rebel's Romance and, as I say, 'if you're not asking me about Rebel's Romance, you don't watch racing', because he is a worldwide superstar.
"I've got a picture of this fellow on my bedside table. He means that much to us all.
"Full credit to the horse first and foremost, and full credit to all the team. It has been a tough week and that is what you expect when you come here – it is the Olympics. You can come here thinking you are fully loaded and have great chances, and you can walk away with excuses, but that's racing.
"I would like to think that we compose ourselves well, we take it on the chin and then we look forward. I was always taught from a young age, when I came into racing, to applaud every winner and enjoy your own.
I know how hard it is for people to get horses here, let alone to have a winner. I would like to think I'm the first to go and congratulate everyone when they have a winner."
On Rebel's Romance being an international superstar, Appleby added: "I felt going to York that it was hopefully a chance for people to be able to see a horse like him. For him to do it on this stage is what he richly deserves himself. Most importantly for the team back home, it has been a tough week for everyone. If there was one man who was going to pull it out the bag, it was Rebel's Romance.
Buick said: "It was very important for us to have a winner, for Charlie and the team. It is not easy. We had one more roll of the dice – and what a partner. Rebel's Romance is a dream horse. Any jockey that is fortunate in their career to have a horse like Rebel's Romance is blessed, and I am blessed.
"It erupted when he hit the front – he is a fan favourite. He travels the world and is recognised everywhere. We have won more than £10 million in prize money. He has been around the block and is a top-class racehorse.
"You don't find many top-class horses with a will to win like he has. I always say he always finds a way. He is my best friend."
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