Ranked: Godolphin's most lucrative paydays with high-earning globetrotter Rebel's Romance

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Rebel's Romance was on Friday retired as the second-highest earner trained in Britain and Ireland since 2000, behind only Thunder Snow, also owned by Godolphin. The eight-year-old gained popularity as a globetrotter and below we recount his five most lucrative international successes that contributed to him winning more than £12 million in prize-money. 

5 2024 Amir Trophy (£1.12m)

Rebel's Romance won nine times at the highest level but two of his most profitable victories came in the Amir Trophy in Qatar, where he first lined up in 2024 for Charlie Appleby.

As a Breeders' Cup winner, the son of Dubawi arrived with a big reputation and it was no surprise to see him deliver a stunning front-running performance under William Buick.

Rebel's Romance: landing his first Amir Trophy under William BuickCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"When he got to the front, he wasn't going to get caught," said the jockey in a neat summary of the performance after Rebel's Romance stretched comfortably clear of Zeffiro.

4 2025 Amir Trophy (£1.14m)

Rebel's Romance returned to Qatar last year and added another racecourse to his CV, with the Amir Trophy run at Al Uqda, normally a training venue, due to issues at Al Rayyan.

The change proved to be absolutely no problem for the seven-year-old, who once again made virtually all the running and won as he liked, this time by a length from The Foxes.

Rebel's Romance: welcomed back after winning the 2025 Amir TrophyCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"He retains all his enthusiasm, wears his heart on his sleeve and always turns up," said Buick. "From a jockey's point of view, he's pretty bombproof. I think he makes his own luck."

3 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf (£1.54m)

After winning the 2021 UAE Derby, Rebel's Romance looked set for a promising career on the dirt but two disappointing runs at Meydan in 2022 forced connections to rethink.

He was switched back to the turf and won five times in a row, with two German Group 1 victories followed by victory at Keeneland, where he landed the Breeders' Cup Turf.

"At one stage it looked like we might have been losing him but he's been rejuvenated this season on the turf," said Appleby, after Rebel's Romance set a new course record.

2 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf (£2.05m)

Rebel's Romance bounced back from an interrupted 2023 to win five of his six appearances the following year, culminating in a narrow victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

He once again showed plenty of fight to score by a neck from Rousham Park and become the oldest winner of the Grade 1, and the first to win non-consecutive runnings.

Rebel's Romance beats Rousham Park in the Breeders' Cup TurfCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

At this stage, Appleby and Buick were almost out of superlatives to describe him, but the jockey came up with two, calling him a "beautiful horse and international superstar". 

1 2024 Sheema Classic (£2.74m)

Rebel's Romance contested the Sheema Classic three times and it was on his second attempt, when he was sent off at 25-1, that he delivered and earned his biggest payday. 

Some of the finest mile-and-a-half turf horses in the world assembled at Meydan, including Auguste Rodin, but they proved no match for the six-year-old, who won by two lengths.

"He's got the world at his feet now," said Appleby, before rather prophetically adding: "He deserves a bit of rest but hopefully he's going to be one of our flagbearers for the season."

Prize-money: top ten horses to be trained in GB or Ireland since 2000

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Godolphin globetrotter Rebel's Romance retired after nine top-level wins and £12 million in prize-money 

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