REBEL’S Romance was the best horse on show at Super Saturday at Meydan, and his owner Sheikh Mohammed came to see him perform despite air strikes in the region.

The meeting went ahead, despite action from the US and Israel against Iran and retaliation from Iran. Rebel’s Romance didn’t let the side down with his 21st success in the Dubai City Of Gold.

Charlie Appleby’s evergreen eight-year-old had to keep up to his job to beat Ed Walker’s Fort George, who ran a career-best, but Rebel’s Romance found enough to win by a length and a half for William Buick.

“I just want him to get round safely these days, he means a lot and it’s very emotional,” said Appleby. “He won a UAE Derby, we tried to turn him into a World Cup horse, but given my form on dirt that didn’t work, but we brought him back to turf and from there on he’s been a rock star.

“We wanted him to show everyone what a great racehorse he is and thankfully he’s done it again tonight.

“The Sheema Classic is a nice conversation to have, but he is getting older and I’ll look after the old boy.”

He added: “It’s great for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to be here tonight with all his family.”

Crisfords treble

The rest of the card was dominated by Simon and Ed Crisford as Meydaan threw his hat into the mix for the Dubai World Cup, with a high-class display in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic under William Buick.

He had run in the Melbourne Cup over two miles and had two races on turf at the Carnival, but dropped to 10 furlongs for his first race on dirt for this Group 2 and he won by over five lengths.

Buick said: “It was a brilliant move and it’s really paid off. I thought they were very brave running in this race, but look what he did.

“We were worried about him jumping slow on the inside, but they didn’t go quick and he was never taken off his feet. He just came alive half a mile out and I was pretty impressed with what he did.

“He’s proven he handles the track, you couldn’t have asked for more from a trial.”

Ed Crisford later said of the son of Frankel: “The way he travelled was exceptional and then he turned into the straight and picked up really well. It’s a ‘win and you’re in’ for World Cup night and hopefully we go there with a squeak. Forever Young will be tough to beat. He’s got to step up a level, but that was his first run on dirt and there is no reason why he can’t improve again.”

Crisford went on: “It is just interesting as the more he was out here, the more he was training on the dirt and each day we saw him, he seemed to be enjoying it more and more.”

Singspiel Stakes

Ryan Moore excelled for the Crisfords on Quaddwah in the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes, where Johnny Murtagh’s Alakazi was a beaten favourite, two and three-quarter lengths back in fourth after looming up a furlong and a half out.

Moore sat just off the lead on a steady pace and, when the sprint happened was in the perfect place to capitalise, beating Dividend by two and a half lengths and put himself in line for a shot at the Dubai Turf.

Moore said: “The race worked out nicely for him and he showed a good attitude, it was a solid performance. The Dubai Turf is usually a hard race, but he usually turns up and performs.”

Crisford explained: “Things didn’t go as planned at Abu Dhabi (fourth in Gold Cup), which can happen in horse racing. The reason you are here is to see if you can get these horses to World Cup night. As long as he’s okay, he will be going there.”

2000 Guineas

The Crisfords secured a treble and Moore a double when Title Role, in the Derrick Smith colours, had too much for Appleby’s highly-touted Talk Of New York in the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas.

The favourite can be given another chance of this, his second run, as he was very keen and hard to settle in the first furlong and came wide with his challenge off the bend. He didn’t find as much as expected, but still put up good sectionals over the final furlongs.

Ed Crisford said later: “He will be back over to Europe and we will make a plan from there. He could be a horse for the Greenham and it could be interesting to see him at Newbury, but we’ll have to speak with Coolmore and see how the horse travels back - if he could replicate what last year’s winner (Ruling Court) of this race achieved, you wouldn’t be disappointed.”

There was a surprise in the Listed Jumeirah 1000 Guineas when Piana (28/1), ridden by Stephane Pasquier, came through on the rails to snatch victory in a four-way photo-finish for Nicholas Caullery.