Rebel's Romance Lands UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial

Rebel's Romance galloped into the picture for the UAE Derby Sponsored by Emirates NBD (G2) with a determined victory Jan. 14 in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial Sponsored by Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal at Meydan.

Rebel's Romance, a Godolphin homebred gelding by Dubawi out of the Street Cry mare Minidress, improved to 3-for-3 while finishing the 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) in 1:37.55 with William Buick aboard.

Rebel's Romance spotted most of the 10-horse field a jump out of the gate but settled smoothly in mid-pack. Advancing outside rivals around the turn, he hit the front some 200 meters from the finish and held off a prolonged challenge from runner-up Mouheeb, winning by a head. It was another seven lengths to a third-place dead heat between first-time starter Sharp Spun and previously undefeated Zhou Storm.

Despite Godolphin's general dominance of Meydan racing—including a 1-2-3 finish in the UAE One Thousand Guineas Trial Presented by Longines a week earlier—two other runners toting Sheikh Mohammed's blue colors, Rich Waters and Line of Attack, finished eighth and ninth, respectively.

Al Murqab was a non-runner in the Trial as COVID-19-related restrictions continue to wreak havoc at trainer Doug Watson's yard. Thirteen Watson-trained horses were scratched from the seven-race card despite earlier hopes they would be cleared to run.

Rebel's Romance opened his account with a win over the all-weather course at Newcastle in England Oct. 26 and won again on all-weather the following month at Kempton before joining the increasingly popular British all-weather-to-Dubai circuit. He went to the post as a heavy favorite in the international markets.

"That was a perfect first experience on dirt, and he will have learned a lot," said winning trainer Charlie Appleby. "He was a bit slowly away as we expected, but he has traveled strongly and picked up well.

"It looked close at the end. But when you watch it back, William has really looked after him and given him a nice education with the UAE Two Thousand Guineas in mind."

Appleby also stated the obvious considering the decision to geld Rebel's Romance last summer.

"Whatever he does this year, though, he is going to be a really nice horse for 2022 and is one to look forward to. As a gelding, hopefully he will be around for a few years."

Mouheeb, a Flatter  colt bred in Kentucky by Charles Matses, was having his second start after a win at Jebel Ali Dec. 18. 

The 3-year-old program at the Dubai course moves along to the UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G3) Feb. 4 and the March 27 UAE Derby. While the Trial win puts Rebel's Romance squarely in the picture for that race, it could mean much more as the UAE Derby is part of the Churchill Downs-sponsored Road to the Kentucky Derby, with 100 points awarded the winner.

Also on the Jan. 14 program, Godolphin's Global Heat strode out a 3 1/2-length winner in a 2,410-meter (about 1 1/2 miles) race on the turf. And trainer Salem bin Ghadayer and jockey Royston Ffrench scored a double together as Meshakel landed the card's opening event by 7 lengths and Firnas was an easy winner in the Jebal Ali Port Stakes.