Charlie Appleby’s globetrotting star Rebel’s Romance enjoyed a successful homecoming when gamely claiming the Boodles Yorkshire Cup.
The seven-year-old made just a handful of British appearances during his career but has won big races all around the world, including two victories in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
A winner in Qatar earlier this year, he was only fourth in the Sheema Classic at Meydan most recently but was sent off the 11-10 favourite to stamp his authority in the York Group Two.
Aidan O’Brien’s Continuous, sporting first-time blinkers, dictated the early pace, with William Buick not far away in the leader’s slipstream aboard the market leader.
Stepping up in trip, Buick waited to unleash Rebel’s Romance in the straight, sending his mount on as the field of five charged for home spread across the width of the Knavesmire.
He held a narrow advantage heading into the final furlong and while Epic Poet and Sweet William began to close, Rebel’s Romance dug deep to repel their challenges by a head and three-quarters of length respectively.
“He’s a real favourite with his own little fan base and rightly so for what he’s achieved through his career,” said Appleby.
“A few people asked why we came here, but I just felt in his last few runs over a mile and a half that I didn’t know if he still had that kick you need at the top level.
“We didn’t want to go travelling just yet, we’ve got a bit of a career-end programme for him that will hopefully involve staying in Europe for the summer and then our American trips towards the second half of the season.
“I’m a believer in that if you go that steady, then any horse has a chance. Whether they’re a Group One horse or a handicapper, they can all sprint for a couple of furlongs.
“When they went as steady as they did I thought it could be interesting, I’d rather they’d have gone a decent gallop but I was always confident he was going to win.
“We’ve seen time and time again that he is one of those horses that just puts his head down and goes again when something comes to him.
“When William got off he said ‘he’s a mile-and-a-half horse, we got away with it’. Had he gone and won a more stoutly-run race then we might have thought about Goodwood but on the evidence of what William said, I think we’ll go back to a mile and a half.
“He’ll probably go to Germany and he’s in the Coronation Cup. We’ll see how he comes out of this race but he has plenty of options, I’d imagine he’ll go to Canada and then back to the Breeders’ Cup.”
Secret Hideaway advertises Ascot claims with shock success
Adrian Keatley could have a smart prospect on his hands after Secret Hideaway put herself in the Royal Ascot picture when striking late in the Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes.
A runner-up at Ripon on debut, she was sent off a 33-1 shot in the hands of PJ McDonald, who bided his time in the early stages as Karl Burke’s impressive Wolverhampton scorer, the fancied Love Olivia, led the field down the Knavesmire.
Richard Hannon’s 15-8 favourite Harry’s Girl took over in the final furlong, but McDonald was soon conjuring up a finishing flourish from his mount who stormed home by half a length.
Secret Hideaway and PJ McDonald enter the winners’ enclosure
The winner was introduced into the Queen Mary Stakes market at 14-1 by some firms, with Keatley confirming the Royal meeting would come under consideration.
He said: “She’s a decent filly and I’ve always thought plenty of her.
“Her heart is the biggest part of her, as you saw there. I ran her to educate her over the sharp five but I think she’ll stay six no bother and maybe even seven in time.
“She will improve a load as the year goes on, I’ll speak to the owners and Ascot will probably be the obvious place to go.
“We’ll speak and see which race we like the look of.
“She’s brilliant, very laid back and a pleasure to have anything to do with.”
Kon Tiki to target French honours after Knavesmire triumph
Jane Chapple-Hyam is targeting big-race honours in France with Kon Tiki after she maintained her unbeaten record with an assured display in the Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes.
Kon Tiki remains unbeaten in the Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes at York
Previously successful on the all-weather at Wolverhampton in December and Kempton in April, the Night Of Thunder filly was an 11-2 shot as she stepped up in class for her turf debut in what looked a strong edition of a Listed event better known as the Michael Seely Memorial.
After being held up off the strong early pace, Kon Tiki ploughed a lone furrow closest to the stands’ rail from halfway up the straight and having quickened smartly to grab the lead, she had enough in hand to repel the late challenge of Bermuda Longtail by half a length in the hands of David Egan.
Chapple-Hyam said: “I had her in the [1000] Guineas but decided to come here, she was coming off the all-weather and I just thought it was a nice start for her.
“It allowed her to come through in her coat and Mr Harris [owner] likes them to go gradually up the staircase, no rush.
“We’ll head for the Sandringham, a Group Two at Chantilly, and that’s a nice stepping stone from the Listed race today. For me, I’d be hoping for the Sandringham and then the Falmouth.”
Thunder Run gets the job done for Burke
Karl Burke’s Thunder Run (5-1) snatched success in final stride of the Knights Solicitors Handicap, winning under Clifford Lee having just edged out Michael Bell’s 9-2 favourite Tony Montana.
“He’s just needed to relax, I was worried after half a furlong because he’d taken off with Cliff and the last thing I wanted was to make the running,” said Burke.
“He managed to get him back, once he gets a bit of cover he drops his head and he got him into a lovely rhythm.
“I think he’s a good horse, once he learns to race a little more economically early on I think he’s definitely a Listed or Group Three horse.
“The Wolferton at Royal Ascot could be the plan, the owners who bought him before the Lincoln paid a good bit of money for him and they’ve never had a runner at Royal Ascot before.”
