Santin & Rebel’s Romance continue remarkable journeys with G1 wins

Santin and Rebel's Romance notched important G1 victories in North America and Germany over the weekend, with both four-year-olds having enjoyed meteoric rises over the past few months.

Santin did not make his debut until late September but the Distorted Humor colt annexed a second G1 at Churchill Downs this season with an impressive display in the Arlington Million.

Having failed to see out a mile and a quarter in the Manhattan Stakes in June, Santin looks set to remain between a mile and nine furlongs, with the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in November a long-term target.

Rebel’s Romance stretched his unbeaten record on turf to three with victory in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten. The son of Dubawi had originally campaigned to a high level on dirt, winning the UAE Derby, and only missed a showdown with Essential Quality in last year’s Belmont Stakes with a late injury.

A return to Germany looks on the cards for the new middle-distance star, with upcoming G1 races at Baden-Baden, Cologne and Munich on his radar.

Coroebus failed to give his true running as he finished fifth in the G1 Prix Jacque le Marois at Deauville on Sunday, but two Group winners for Moulton Paddocks on the same card provided some compensation.

Eternal Pearl completed a hat-trick with a decisive win in the G3 Prix Minerve, setting up a potential crack at the G1 Prix Vermeille next month, while juvenile Mysterious Night graduated to G3 honours in the Prix Francois Boutin.

A productive week for Godolphin’s two-year-olds in the UK also saw Victory Dance take the Listed Denford Stakes at Newbury, with Bold Act and Lenormand scoring at Newmarket.

York’s Ebor meeting provides the main European action this week and Native Trail will be hoping to lower the colours of the unbeaten Baaeed in Wednesday’s G1 Juddmonte International.

Potential St Leger contender Secret State and Walk Of Stars line up on the same afternoon’s G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, while Lazuli tackles the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes later in the week.

Unbeaten colt Noble Style will be hoping to continue the good recent form of Godolphin two-year-olds in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes – a race won by outstanding sprinter Blue Point in 2016.

Nostalgic could attempt to turn the tables on Nest and Secret Oath in the G1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, with recent Saratoga Oaks winner With The Moonlight nominated for the G2 Lake Placid Stakes on the same card.