Godolphin flex their muscles in turf races at Dubai World Cup meeting

It is one of those rare occasions that a Godolphin horse isn’t featuring in the $12 million Dubai World Cup but they more than make up for that with a strong presence on the four turf races on the card at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday.

Rebel's Romance carries the royal blues’ hopes in the penultimate race and turf feature, the $6 million Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic.

The 2021 Group 2 UAE Derby winner has three Group/Grade 1 wins in Germany and the US and arrives on the back of his Group 3 success in The Amir Trophy in Doha last month.

“It was great to see Rebel’s Romance win in Qatar. He had a great spell two years ago, culminating with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and last year was a little stop-start,” Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby said of the six year old Dubawi gelding.

“He lost his confidence after clipping heels at Saratoga [unseating his rider in June last year], so we came back to the UK and went to Kempton [December] for an easier assignment.

“You could see afterwards that his confidence was back and we headed to Qatar with a horse who we felt was back on his A game.

“He has come here in great nick. It looks the strongest race of the evening, but the 12-furlong turf division is always strong internationally.

“We respect the opposition and I guess we can take positives from his wide draw (11) as the first turn comes up quickly at Meydan. Hopefully, William [Buick] can get him into a good position by the back stretch.”

Aidan O’Brien’s dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin and Japanese raider Liberty Island along with the Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn and French entry Junko are the horses to watch in the race.

Measured Time, a full brother to Rebel’s Romance and also trained by Appleby, has won five of his