Rebel’s Romance brave in defeat with G1 King George third

Rebel's Romance ran another gallant race at Ascot as he finished third in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes for a second successive year on Saturday, 26 July.

Aiming to follow up his victory in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes, the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi broke alertly from his inside draw and tracked Jan Brueghel and Continuous in third.

Kalpana moved up around Rebel’s Romance turning in before quickening into the lead approaching the final quarter-mile, with William Buick forced to check as Jan Brueghel wandered around under pressure.

Calandagan set off in pursuit of Kalpana as the duo went clear a furlong and a half out, leaving Jan Brueghel and Rebel’s Romance to fight out the minor places.

Rebel’s Romance rallied inside the final furlong, regaining third in the closing strides to go down by three and a half lengths in total behind the victorious Calandagan.