Rebel’s Romance & El Cordobes dreaming of California following G1 wins

Godolphin’s most decorated horse Rebel's Romance notched another landmark G1 success in Germany on Sunday as he won the Grosser Preis von Berlin for a second time.

In comfortably beating Junko by three-quarters of a length, the outstanding son of Dubawi recorded his eighth top-level win and 14th Pattern race victory, making him the most prolific Group winner in the royal blue silks. He also provided a notable success for his sire, who has been responsible for 250 Black Type wins in the Godolphin colours.

A chance to win an unprecedented third G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf is the ultimate target for Rebel’s Romance, and all roads now lead to Del Mar in November. The globe-trotting star looks set to have one more start in the meantime, with the G1 Canadian International his likely next step before California.

El Cordobes also has the Breeders’ Cup Turf on his agenda after he stormed home to take the G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday. The four-year-old was making his first G1 appearance on his US debut but had no problem with the style of racing in North America. Nations Pride put up a solid performance in the same race as he kept on in third.

Marquisat, who was beaten a nose by Junko in last season’s G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, gained a deserved first Group-race success at Deauville on Saturday as he made a winning return to action in the G3 Prix Dubai Racing Club. Hotheaded looks a contender for the staying races for three-year-olds in the autumn following his decisive victory in the Listed Prix Michel Houyvet on the same card.

Broodmare Miss Lucifer enjoyed a day to remember on Saturday. Her two-year-old Dubawi filly Dance To The Music maintained her unbeaten record when taking the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket, while her son Space Blues, also by Dubawi, gained a first G1 win as a sire just 15 minutes later when Power Blue won the Phoenix Stakes in Ireland.

Operation Sunrise, a granddaughter of Miss Lucifer, easily won a maiden in the United States on the same day to complete a remarkable 24 hours for the family.

Tony and Calvin McEvoy saddled their first Godolphin winner on Thursday as Immerse captured a Ballarat maiden. Tony’s nephew and Calvin’s cousin Kerrin was on the scoresheet on the same day as he partnered Barbarossa to victory at Kembla Grange, with the Too Darn Hot colt becoming a first royal blue winner for Ciaron Maher.

A good spell for Godolphin’s juveniles across the globe included Pinatubo colt Komorebi and My Highness, a daughter of Ghaiyyath, who earned themselves Group-race appearances with impressive wins at Deauville on Tuesday.

Al Zanati scored on his debut at Newmarket on Friday, with Rose Room having made a winning introduction at Delaware 24 hours earlier. The winning theme continued in Japan over the weekend as fillies Dolce Misto (Talismanic) and I Need You (Fine Needle) scored in newcomers’ races at Chukyo and Sapporo.