Billy Loughnane wins first Group 1 on Rebel's Romance in Germany

The 19-year-old Loughnane got the leg-up on the Godolphin globetrotter as regular rider William Buick was in France for the Maurice de Gheest and delivered in good style to claim a breakthrough success at the highest level.

Rebel's Romance was sent off the 1/5 favourite for the Westminster 135th Grosser Preis von Berlin and got the job done with a three-quarter-length defeat of Junko.

Speaking on Wettstar.de in the immediate aftermath of the race at Hoppegarten, the winning rider said: "It’s a feeling I can’t describe, a feeling of ecstasy. What a star of a horse. I’m very lucky to be riding in these colours and to have the opportunity to sit on a horse like this.

“He’s a star of a horse. Big thanks to Will. I spoke to him last night and he told me exactly what to do.”

Loughnane's father, Mark, was at Wolverhampton and reacted to the news on Sky Sports Racing. He said: "It's something he's dreamt of all his life. I had an even-money favourite in the first race but I was more watching my phone and watching Billy. As a dad I'm proud as punch."

Appleby was watching on from Deauville and he said: "I’m delighted for Billy to have his first Group 1 winner. To be able to give a young lad like that the opportunity to shine on a horse like him is great."

Regarding the horse, he added: "He’s seven and still doing it at that level. It was a typical Rebel’s Romance win, just guts. I think the ground would have been slow enough. We were hopeful class would get him through that.

"Rebel’s Romance is a rock star. We’ll see where we go. We were toying with going to the Canadian International and that is something we will take into account, very much working back from the Breeders’ Cup again."

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