‘He’s a big player’ – Appleby looking forward to Rebel’s Romance

horses racing

Prolific globetrotter seeking to regain his Breeders’ Cup Turf crown.

Returning champion Rebel’s Romance and the “very dangerous” Notable Speech are set to lead Charlie Appleby’s small but highly select team into battle at the Breeders’ Cup next week.

Globetrotting star Rebel’s Romance will be looking to regain the Breeders’ Cup Turf title he lifted in 2022 off the back another fine campaign which has seen him win Group One prizes in Dubai, Hong Kong and Germany, as well as finish third in the King George at Ascot.

Appleby believes the six-year-old will return to California as a “big player” on Saturday week.

Charlie Appleby is looking forward to the Breeders' Cup
Charlie Appleby is looking forward to the Breeders’ Cup (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Rebel’s Romance is an international star, as we know. He’s been rock solid all year, even in his defeat at Ascot he went down with a lot of credit,” said Appleby at Newmarket on Wednesday.

“We purposely gave him a little bit of a break. We toyed with the idea of going to America, but we decided to stay a little bit closer to home and go to Germany for a race he’d won before and he spring-boarded from that into a Breeders’ Cup win.

“We all know the draw is important around Del Mar or Santa Anita, but over a mile and a half you’re a little bit more relaxed about it because you’re able to ride your race over that trip.

“If he goes there and ticks all the boxes whilst he’s there, he’s a big player.”

Notable Speech goes for the Breeders’ Cup Mile with a point to prove, having twice disappointed since his brilliant 2000 Guineas victory in May, which was preceded by three victories on the Polytrack at Kempton Park.

The Dubawi colt was well beaten in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp, but did win the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in between and Appleby – who has won the last three runnings of the Mile – is hopeful he will show his true colours at Del Mar.

He added: “With Notable Speech, his challenge is going to be the travelling and the week there. For a horse that as soon as you pull him out of his stable and he’s as good as gold and you’d think he was a pony leading round, he challenges himself a little bit.

“What we did learn and what we were very happy with was what we saw at Longchamp. We learned he travels and settled in well and doesn’t handle soft ground, so it was always going to be straight to the Breeders’ Cup after that.

“If he gets a good draw and has a good week there, he’s going to be very dangerous because it’s something everyone has had on their minds since Kempton to be honest with you, before the Guineas.”

Aomori City winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood
Aomori City winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The Moulton Paddocks handler plans to be fire a twin assault at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, with Al Qudra set to be joined by stablemate Aomori City, while he will also saddle two runners in the Filly & Mare Turf.

Of the juvenile pair, Appleby said: “I genuinely can’t split them on what they’ve achieved on the racecourse and it could come down to the draw.

“From William’s (Buick) point of view, and we’ve spoken in depth over the few days, it’s a hard one for him. He could go and pick either horse and get drawn 14, or if you’re lucky and get drawn six you’ve got a chance.

“Looking at the field I think that’s how it’s going to play out, I don’t think there’s a standout horse in the race. Both have got plenty of experience and one has obviously got experience over there.

“Cinderella’s Dream and Beautiful Love are in the Filly & Mare. Both have got experience over there now, Cinderella’s Dream has a higher profile being a Grade One winner out there and a Grade Two winner on her last start. I feel she’ll be a live player.

“The other filly will see the trip out well and deserves to be in the line-up after what she has achieved out there. She’s a Grade Three winner and you could probably say she was unlucky on her last start.”

Appleby’s squad for the two-day fixture is completed by Star Of Mystery in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

He added: “Star Of Mystery is rock solid. She was just touched off the other day and was probably a bit unlucky, but I was relaxed watching it as it was very much a pipe-opener ahead of the Breeders’ Cup.

“She’s small, she’s quick and has experience over there now. It’s always going to be tougher taking on the colts and the older horses, but she’s shown her worth by running creditably in the Al Quoz and doing what she’s done in America and deserves to be there.”

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