William Buick is looking forward to teaming up with Rebel’s Romance in Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot.
Charlie Appleby's globetrotting star hasn't been seen racing on home soil since December 2023, but the thirteen-time career winner certainly has the form in the book at the top-level, with overseas victories including the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf, 2024 Dubai Sheema Classic and 2024 Chartered Champions & Chater Cup ay Sha Tin (Hong Kong).
The six-year-old is now three from three this year and while he's yet to compete in Group 1 company in Britain, regular rider William Buick is expecting him to prove more than capable of throwing his hat into the ring on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking on Sky Sports Racing, Buick said: "He's been a top horse from when he was a three-year-old,"
"Obviously he's had an extraordinary year so far this year, but it's easy to forget that he is a Breeders' Cup Turf winner. That was a couple of years ago, but he's a very good horse and at the age of six, he's arguably better than ever.
"Charlie and the team have done a fantastic job with him. Charlie was very clear in his campaign this winter – he found a very good opportunity for him at Kempton, where he had a nice confidence booster, he really made the most of that and took his travelling really well.
"He started off in Qatar, then to Dubai and then to Hong Kong. I saw him when he got back from Hong Kong and he looked even better than when he went there, so he's taken it really well and I'm just thrilled that he's being given his chance in this country now."
Paddy Power make Rebel's Romance a 3/1 shot behind their 6/5 market leader Auguste Rodin, who finished well-behind Charlie Appleby's charge when disappointing in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan. The Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old has since bounced back to form in superb style with a smooth victory in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and Buick is looking forward to seeing how his contender fares back on home soil.
"He's a little bit hard to measure up against some of the horses here. He's unbeaten in this country, but he's never raced at Group 1 level, so it is a little bit hard to measure him up," explained the champion jockey.
"If you go off the form of his Sheema Classic win, that's absolutely out of the top drawer. Obviously, Auguste Rodin didn't perform to his best that day and we've seen a much better horse since.
"I think it's fascinating and it's a race he certainly deserves to take his chance in. It would be lovely to add to his already glittering CV."
Buick added: "The King George is a midsummer highlight. The Derby winner always used to turn up, as obviously, Adayar did, and the three-year-olds are always the main dangers in the King George as the weight allowance probably sways in their favour if they are of that calibre.
"Sunway is a three-year-old and is going to get a lot of weight so it's going to be interesting, but it's a good King George, as you would always expect it to be.
"He wouldn't want soft ground – he's a top of the ground horse and a good mover, so if the forecast stays as it's supposed to do I think that should suit everybody."
