Rebel’s Romance A Warm Item For Amir Trophy Repeat

[Wandering Eyes]

Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) launches his 7-year-old campaign in defence of his title in Saturday's US$2.5-million G3 H.H. The Amir Trophy in Qatar, where he will face seven other rivals that own nothing close to the resume amassed by the Godolphin homebred.

Having defeated a pair of Japanese raiders, including the third-placed and re-opposing Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond by {Jpn}) by a convincing three-length margin 12 months ago, Rebel's Romance landed Group 1s in Hong Kong, Germany and America, where he took out the GI Breeders' Cup Classic for the second time in three years. Last month he was crowned champion turf horse at the Eclipse Awards.

“It's great to see Rebel's Romance head back to Qatar for another crack at this race and he goes there in great form,” trainer Charlie Appleby said on the Godolphin website. “He's a year older now and taking on some younger legs, but he continues to display all the enthusiasm that he has shown in the past. Like last year, this looked the ideal starting point to his campaign.

“If he turns up in the form that he has shown over the past 12 months, he will be the one they all have to beat. Age is the one thing that is creeping up on him, but all the signs at home have been very positive.”

Godolphin are represented earlier on the card by the 3-year-olds Al Qudra (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Age of Gold (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who take in the US$400,000 Al Rayyan Mile.

The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) visits his fifth country and enters the Amir Trophy on the back of a cracking fourth-place effort behind the three-peating Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December.

King's Gambit (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) makes his first start in the Wathnan Racing colours on Saturday. Runner-up in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes and to Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G2 York Stakes, the chestnut was a close third in the G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes and was a latest seventh in testing ground in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.

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