Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (Group 1)

THE much-travelled Rebel’s Romance provided Charlie Appleby with a first winner in Hong Kong when claiming the Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin.

The globetrotting six-year-old had previously prevailed in England, the UAE, Germany, America and Qatar, most recently landing the Dubai Sheema Classic.

This was his fifth triumph at elite level and a 13th career victory overall from 19 starts.

Racing over a mile and a half, from a wide draw in the field of eight,William Buick settled odds-on favourite Rebel’s Romance in second place behind Moments In Time but made a forward move on the turn for home. It took a furlong to get on top but he forged ahead with 300 metres left to run.

The result was never in doubt from there on and the son of Dubawi finished two lengths clear of late-surging runner-up Irish-bred Five G Patch.

Irish-bred Hong Kong Derby winner Massive Sovereign was again a bit disappointing finishing sixth.

“He’s a horse who likes to get into his stride, he relaxes beautifully and gets into a nice rhythm. He probably came under pressure sooner than I expected but he was just getting himself organised really,” Buick said. “He is a very versatile horse.”

“He’s done it really well. You always respect the local horses here in Hong Kong and obviously he (Rebel’s Romance) had to travel over here and everything else. The team have done a great job with him, I thought he looked magnificent beforehand, as he always does.”

“The race kind of went the way I hoped it would and it suited him. He’s become a very uncomplicated horse and he’s a real international superstar.”

Previous runner

Blue Point was Appleby’s only previous runner in Hong Kong when finishing last in the 2018 Chairman’s Sprint Prize.

The trainer said: “I’m delighted for Sheikh Mohammed and Team Godolphin to have this horse travel the way he has. He’s been to America, he’s been to Qatar, Dubai, Germany and now Hong Kong, which has always been on our bucket list to try and win a race here and we’re delighted to have the right horse,” Appleby said.

“He’s a gelded son of Dubawi, he loves his travels. He’s a professional now and he’s done plenty of travelling now. He prefers to be on a plane than actually in his stable.”

Appleby indicated Rebel’s Romance would head to the US before possibly returning for the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin in December.