Globetrotting horse Rebel's Romance, owned by Godolphin, set to make a splash in Group 1 race in Germany, with Billy Loughnane sitting on the sidelines
In the upcoming Grosser Preis von Berlin race, the standout contender is Rebel's Romance, the defending champion and current favourite. This seven-year-old horse, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, has an impressive record with 18 wins, including seven Group 1 victories.
Rebel's Romance has been unbeaten in three starts in Germany, most recently finishing fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic and third in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. His strong performances make him a highly accomplished globetrotting superstar.
Another serious contender is Cold Heart, trained by Vinzenz Schiergen. Cold Heart has shown recent improvement and is regarded as a strong challenger for this G1 event. The assistant trainer's positive outlook suggests a promising trajectory for this horse in the Grosser Preis von Berlin.
Junko, racing under the management of Pierre-Yves Bureau for Wertheimer et Frere, also presents a formidable challenge. With two Group 1 wins over the same distance, Junko's credentials are strong. However, his chances may depend on whether Rebel's Romance falters from his usual form.
Narrativo, representing the home defense, comes off a runner-up finish in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis. While less inspiring compared to others, Narrativo is still considered competitive in the Grosser Preis von Berlin.
British jockey Jack Mitchell will ride Straight in the Grosser Preis von Berlin. Straight finished a neck behind Rebel's Romance in the Preis von Europa in Cologne in September. Despite less detailed recent performance data, Straight and Nastaria also form part of the field.
Interestingly, El Cordobes and Marquisat, who have notable wins around this timeframe, are not listed among the Grosser Preis von Berlin entrants.
Charlie Appleby expressed some concern about the ground condition for Rebel's Romance in the Grosser Preis von Berlin. However, he stated that the horse came out of Ascot very well. Billy Loughnane, who will ride Rebel's Romance in the race, had a sit on the horse earlier in the week to get to know him better.
Pierre-Yves Bureau believes Junko can get close to Rebel's Romance in the Grosser Preis von Berlin. Last year, Junko was second to Al Riffa in the same race, and the Andre Fabre-trained horse went on to win the Preis von Bayern in 2023.
Meanwhile, Narrativo was second to Al Riffa in the Grosser Preis von Berlin last year and has an Arc entry, along with Cold Heart.
William Buick, who usually rides Rebel's Romance, will not be in the saddle for the Grosser Preis von Berlin due to riding Shadow Of Light in the Prix Maurice de Gheest in France. Billy Loughnane, who has a 61% strike-rate with Rebel's Romance and Charlie Appleby, will take over the reins for the race.
The Grosser Preis von Berlin promises to be an exciting race with Rebel's Romance as the key contender, followed closely by Cold Heart and Junko, with Narrativo representing the domestic challenge.
Horse-racing enthusiasts eagerly await the Grosser Preis von Berlin, featuring various sports and racing participants. Among them, Rebel's Romance, the defending champion, stands out with his exceptional record in horse-racing, including racecards such as the Dubai Sheema Classic and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His strong performances make him a highly accomplished globetrotting superstar.
