2024 Champions & Chater Cup winner Rebel's Romance has been retired after a seven-season career that produced 22 wins from 32 starts, nine Group 1 victories and more than US$16 million in prize money.
The Charlie Appleby-trained gelding delivered one of his defining international performances at Sha Tin in May 2024, defeating Five G Patch by two lengths in the 2400 meter feature, with La City Blanche third.
The victory made Rebel's Romance the first overseas-trained winner of the Champions & Chater Cup and gave Appleby his first Hong Kong success. He stopped the clock at 2 minutes, 25.62 seconds, prompting Buick to hail him after the race as a "real international superstar."
Godolphin described Rebel's Romance as its most successful horse ever. His other major victories included two Breeders' Cup Turfs, making him the first horse to win non-consecutive editions of the race, and the Dubai Sheema Classic. He was crowned North America's Champion Male Turf Horse at the 2024 Eclipse Awards.
He retires in winning form after taking both starts as an 8-year-old, capturing the Dubai City Of Gold at Meydan and last week's Princess Of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket.
Appleby said in an official statement released by Godolphin: "We always knew this day would come, but it's nevertheless a very sad day for everyone at Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin as a whole. Rebel's Romance has proved an outstanding horse for so many years and has taken us on a journey that we will never forget.
"After yet another brilliant win at Newmarket last week, collectively we all discussed it and felt that now is the right time to call it a day.
"It has been an absolute honour to train such an amazing horse, who has been a dream to look after from the moment he arrived. My thanks must go to the whole team at Moulton Paddocks, who have done such a brilliant job of caring for him throughout his career.
"We have had some great days together and, wherever I am in the world, he is the one horse people ask me about. He built up a great following and I was always touched by the reception he received across the globe. You dream of having a horse like Rebel's Romance and I am incredibly thankful to have been part of his story."
Buick said in the same statement: "Rebel's Romance has taken me on some great adventures and I feel immensely privileged to have been able to ride a horse of his stature. He proved time and time again to be an outstanding horse and I cherish the moments that we have had together.
"He was a wonderful horse to ride, with such a presence and a will to win, and an immense credit to everyone at Godolphin associated with him. His record across the world was phenomenal and I owe him a great deal."
Plans for Rebel's Romance under Godolphin's Lifetime Care program will be announced later.
