Rebelline beat top four year olds Bach and Nayef as she silenced the British raiding party as she shrugged off a raise in grade to complete a hat-trick as she took the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh today. Only 35 minutes after Gossamer had destroyed the home contingent's hopes in the Entenmann's 1000 Guineas, it was the turn of the home crowd to be singing in the rain. British-based horses Nayef and Tobougg dominated the betting for the valuable Group One prize but failed to dominate the finish as the Kevin Prendergast-trained 7-1 shot streaked home to score by two lengths.
Settled in the rear division early on, she quickened clear down the outside of the field as Nayef and Chancellor tried to tackle pacesetter Bach. Bach, also a 7-1 chance, emerged with plenty of credit as he battled on bravely to hold second place with 8-11 favourite Nayef a further two and a half lengths back in third.
On her first outing this season, Rebelline had caused another upset when flooring Johannesburg in the Gladness Stakes and Prendergast smiled: 'She's a very good filly in this soft ground and she's a real giant-killer. She's had three quick races and we'll give her a break now for a month before we come up with a plan.'
'We'll look at the Irish Champion Stakes and might also be on the agenda. The way she ran today I don't think she'd have any trouble getting a mile and a half in the Arc de Triomphe, she looked like she would get any trip.
She's got to have her ground though, on firm she just won't do it.' Her rider, Declan McDonogh, explained that the race had gone exactly to plan. 'I wanted to be tracking Nayef all the way and when I asked her to quicken she gave me everything I needed,' the young rider said. 'I think a mile and a half will be no problem to her and the way she is improving I can't wait to get on her again,' he added.
Bach's presence in second gives the form a solid look but there was no doubting the disappointing performance of Nayef, who travelled well enough on the inside. Trainer Marcus Tregoning blamed the rain-softened conditions for his charge's performance and it was certainly a far cry from the balmy Dubai night in March when the colt smashed his rivals in the Dubai Sheema Classic.
'I think he is just a horse who is more effective on faster ground, Rchard Hills said he got a bit lost out there but I am trying not to be too disappointed' said Tregoning.
