Game Rebel’s Romance gains verdict in Dubai City Of Gold

DUBAI – He may be eight years old, but equine superstar Rebel’s Romance showed few signs of age when charging to his 21st career victory in the 1.4 million dirham (S$482,000) Group 2 Dubai City of Gold – one of the highlights of Emirates Super Saturday at Meydan on Feb 28.

After finishing second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (2,400m) in Del Mar on Nov 1, 2025, the nine-time Group 1 winner faced seven rivals in the 2,410m turf contest.

But, Rebel’s Romance ($7) travelled ominously well throughout, going into the lead off the home turn under William Buick before holding off the Ed Walker-trained Fort George (Kieran Shoemark) by 1½ lengths to score.

Burdett Road (Oisin Murphy) finished third.

Trainer Charlie Appleby was immensely proud of the son of Dubawi after the win.

“It takes a lot for me to get emotional, but I love him,” said the British handler. “I had my heart in my mouth just wanting him to get round safely.

“He’s just been a rock star and we wanted to bring him here to show everyone what a great racehorse he is, and he’s shown it again tonight.”

For winning the Dubai City of Gold, Rebel’s Romance is offered automatic entry to the Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic – which he won in 2024 – over the same course and distance.

But, Appleby was cautious about committing the gelding to the feature contest which will be held at the 30th Dubai World Cup meeting on March 28.

“It’s a nice conversation to have, but we will take it race by race,” he said.

“He’s an old boy and we’re going to look after him.”

It was an unforgettable night for the father-son training duo of Simon and Ed Crisford, who won both the other Group 2 events among a sparkling treble.

First up came Quddwah ($16), who could be a force to be reckoned with in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1,800m) after racing away in the Singspiel Stakes.

The Kingman six-year-old, ridden by Ryan Moore, was well positioned off a slow pace and went for home in the straight, beating Dividend (Rossa Ryan) by 2½ lengths.

“There was no pace early,” said Ed Crisford. “Ryan had him in the completely right position, kicked for home coming off the bend, and he won really well.

“We’ll see how he is, but the Dubai Turf will be the plan as he saw out the extra furlong well.”

The Crisfords then struck a back-to-back double when Meydaan ($50) showed his liking for dirt with an authoritative win in the Al Maktoum Classic (2,000m), earning him a berth in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup (2,000m).

It was a first run on the surface for the five-year-old son of Frankel, but he took to it beautifully, powering clear in the straight under Buick for a comfortable 5¼-length win over Group 1 winner Walk Of Stars (Mickael Barzalona).

“He won here over a mile and six furlongs on turf, but he had been training well on this surface,” said Ed Crisford.

“So we thought ‘why don’t we give this a go?’ Every work on it, he just got better and we trialled him on it last week and he finished really well.

“We thought he would be outpaced early, but that if he could just have the front rank within his sights, he could finish well and that’s what he did.

“William was taking a pull on the back stretch and I thought ‘well we’ve won this’. Let’s go to the World Cup.”

Team Crisford wrapped up with a treble when Title Role ($17) beat hot favourite Talk Of New York (Buick) in the finale, the Listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas (1,600m).

Ridden by Moore, the Too Darn Hot three-year old was held up early on, but produced an impressive finishing kick, beating pacesetter Pacific Avenue (Barzalona) by just over a length.

“All the talk was about Charlie’s horse (Talk Of New York) who had been training well, but we had the experience, with two runs out here,” said Ed Crisford.

“There was a lot of pace on tonight and this horse is tough. We will take him back to the UK and I would quite like to take him to the (Group 3) Greenham (Stakes, 1,400m) at Newbury.

“Then he’s entered in the French Guineas. He could be a Jersey sort of horse, there’s options.”

Summing up a superb night for his team, he added: “We had some big chances tonight but to have three winners on Super Saturday is just huge for our stable. We love Dubai and our horses love Dubai.”

El Nasseeb ($21) now has bragging rights as the best UAE-based sprinter after beating a strong field – including defending champion Tuz – in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal (1,200m) as he prepares for the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1,200m).

It was a third course-and-distance win for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s Profitable five-year-old, who produced his customary late run to mow down reigning Dubai Golden Shaheen champion Dark Saffron (Connor Beasley) by a length.

“He’s a much better horse when there’s a fast pace and today, it suited him very well,” said jockey Silvestre de Sousa.

“He couldn’t go with them early on and from the 900m, he came a little bit alive on the bridle and responded well – he loves the dirt.”

On El Nasseeb’s chances in the Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 28, the Brazilian hoop added: “If he turns up in the same form he is in tonight, he’ll have a big chance.”

Though out of luck in the Mahab Al Shimaal, Tuz’s trainer Bhupat Seemar and jockey Tadhg O’Shea still got on the scoresheet courtesy of Commissioner King ($18) in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar (1,600m).

The six-year-old galloper was handy throughout and O’Shea wasted no time in going for home, putting four lengths between himself and stablemate The Camden Colt (Richard Mullen) on the line.

“It’s good to get it done and be first and second,” said Seemar.

“We’re learning about this horse. He’s got natural speed and we’ve got to let him use it, which is what we tried to do today. His weapon is his speed.”

Seemar confirmed that Commissioner King will now head to the Group 2 Godolphin Mile (1,600m) on Dubai World Cup night.

The Nicolas Caullery-trained outsider Piana ($71) sprang a surprise when she took out the Listed Jumeirah 1000 Guineas (1,600m).

The diminutive three-year-old filly had finished eighth at her previous outing in the Mawj Stakes (1,400m) on Jan 30, but just prevailed in a tight finish from True Test (Marco Ghiani) under Stephane Pasquier.

“It’s amazing!” said Caullery. “Perhaps the 1,400m was too short for her last time and the mile was better for her today. She waited on the inside and her finish was very strong.”

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-winning jockey Pasquier visited Meydan’s winner’s circle for the first time.

“It’s easy to ride like this as I had a good draw number (1), so I travelled well and came inside. I’m very happy and proud to win here,” said the French rider.

Native Approach scored at even longer odds of $225 in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (1,200m).

The Too Darn Hot five-year-old was dropping in trip for trainer Ahmad bin Harmash, and proved too tough to peg back under Beasley, beating Run Boy Run (George Wood) by 1½ lengths.

He will be targeted at the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) next.

“The plan will be the Al Quoz Sprint,” said Ahmad.

“We ran him at seven (furlongs) and we ran him at a mile, but he is so keen we can hardly saddle him.

“We were thinking to run him in a handicap next week, but with the speed he shows in the yard, we thought we would try this. He traveled all the way so easily and won really well.”

There was an international winner in the opening Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (2,000m) for Purebred Arabians, which went to the Oman-based Falaah ($99). DUBAI RACING CLUB