Rebel’s Romance seeks another historic win in G1 Dubai Sheema Classic

Rebel’s Romance bids to become the first horse to win the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic for a second time, with the globetrotting star spearheading Godolphin’s Dubai World Cup Night squad at Meydan, UAE, on Saturday, 5 April.

A decisive winner of the 12-furlong turf feature last year, the son of Dubawi has also enjoyed Dubai World Cup Night success on dirt with an impressive display in the 2021 G2 UAE Derby.

Rebel’s Romance has already re-written the record books at the Breeders’ Cup, becoming the first horse to capture non-consecutive renewals of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2022 and 2024.

His victory at Del Mar in November rounded off an exceptional campaign, with further top-level wins in the Champions & Chater Cup in Hong Kong and Germany’s Preis von Europa in addition to victory in the G3 H H The Amir Trophy in Qatar.

Now seven, Rebel’s Romance made a winning return to action for Charlie Appleby in Qatar in mid-February as he comfortably defended his H H The Amir Trophy title.

Charlie Appleby said: “Rebel’s Romance breezed at Marmoom on Wednesday morning and looked in great order. The Dubai Sheema Classic is always a tough race, with plenty of strength in depth, and this year is no different.

“He goes into this in good shape on the back of his win in Qatar. He is taking on some very good four-year-olds, although our horse has shown a strong level of form over the past year and we are looking forward to it.”

Nations Pride has also established himself on the international stage and the Teofilo entire seeks a fifth G1 when he faces Hong Kong heavyweight Romantic Warrior in the Dubai Turf.

Third in the same race two years ago, the Charlie Appleby-trained six-year-old won the G1 Saratoga Derby at three and graduated to further G1 honours in 2023, easily taking the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis and Canadian International.

Nations Pride was victorious in last season’s G1 Arlington Million and took his Meydan record to three wins from four starts when comfortably landing the G2 Singspiel Stakes at the start of March.

Charlie Appleby said: “Nations Pride heads into a tough renewal of the Dubai Turf in good order. The plan was to give him a confidence boost in the Singspiel Stakes and it appears to have done the trick. He has been enjoying himself out in Dubai and goes into this as a player, although realistically more for the places rather than the win.”

Three Godolphin contenders for the G2 Dubai Gold Cup include Trawlerman, who finished third in the staying highlight 12 months ago.

Trained by John & Thady Gosden, the son of Golden Horn defeated Kyprios in the 2023 G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup and went down by a length to the same horse in last season’s G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Dubai Future, a winner at Royal Ascot in 2022, lines up for Saeed bin Suroor on the back of a remarkable display in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy, in which he sauntered to victory on his first start for 427 days.

Passion And Glory, who runs for the same trainer, was fifth in the 2022 Dubai Gold Cup and ran another strong race at Meydan on his latest outing, filling the runner-up spot behind Silver Knott in the G2 Dubai City Of Gold on Super Saturday.

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Dubai Future won the Nad Al Sheba Trophy nicely and has been working well heading into this. Two miles is a slight unknown, but he has Silvestre de Sousa in the saddle again and I’m hopeful of a good run.

“Passion And Glory produced a good effort in the Dubai City Of Gold on Super Saturday and we wanted to try him back over two miles to see how he goes.”