Buick and Rebel's Romance emulate Alpinista by winning second German Group 1

Germany: Cologne, Sunday

Rebel's Romance justified favouritism when getting the better of Deutsches Derby winner Sammarco to land the Preis von Europa under a patient ride from William Buick.

In doing so the son of Dubawi added a second German Group 1 after his success in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, both prizes won by leading Arc candidate Alpinista in 2021.

Alaskasonne and Andrasch Starke ensured there was no repeat of the slow pace seen in the Grosser Preis von Baden three weeks ago, a setup which seemed to suit Sammarco much better under Germany's champion jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev.

Rebel's Romance was sixth of the seven runners turning for home but Buick got a split up the rail and his partner picked up stylishly to account for Sammarco, while Amazing Grace stayed on to be third.

Buick said: "He was nice and relaxed. He showed in Hoppegarten last time that he has a turn of foot and it's a long straight here. He's a better horse on faster ground but he did it well."

Raced exclusively on the all-weather or dirt in his first seven starts, Rebel's Romance has thrived since being switched to the turf by Charlie Appleby this summer.

Rebel's Romance and William Buick win the Group 1 Preis von Europa at CologneCredit: Marc Ruhl / Deutscher Galopp

Wins in the Listed Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket and the Group 3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood have been supplemented with two top-level wins in Germany.

A three-quarter-length defeat of the 115-rated Sammarco – who was in receipt of 6lb in weight-for-age allowance – means that Rebel's Romance almost certainly ran a career-best in Cologne and the four-year-old gelding could be set for plenty of high profile targets on the international stage over a mile and a half.

Read this next:

Super six: assessing the main contenders for the 2022 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.