Godolphin's champion Rebel's Romance has been retired at the age of eight, the organisation announced on Friday morning. His final appearance was a victory in the G2 Princess Of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket on July 9.Charlie Appleby said, “We always knew this day would come, but it's nevertheless a very sad day for everyone at Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin as a whole. Rebel's Romance has proved an outstanding horse for so many years and has taken us on a journey that we will never forget.“After yet another brilliant win at Newmarket last week, collectively we all discussed it and felt that now is the right time to call it a day.“It has been an absolute honour to train such an amazing horse, who has been a dream to look after from the moment he arrived. My thanks must go to the whole team at Moulton Paddocks, who have done such a brilliant job of caring for him throughout his career.“We have had some great days together and, wherever I am in the world, he is the one horse people ask me about. He built up a great following and I was always touched by the reception he received across the globe. You dream of having a horse like Rebel's Romance and I am incredibly thankful to have been part of his story.”Bred by Godolphin and trained by Charlie Appleby, the son of Dubawi was unbeaten in two starts at two and won the G2 UAE Derby at three. However, he fully came into his power at four, rattled off five consecutive victories in 2022, including the G3 Glorious Stakes, G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin, G1 Preis von Europa and the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in succession. After an interrupted 2023 campaign, he came back at six to add the G3 H.H. The Amir Trophy in Qatar, Dubai's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup in Hong Kong, another edition of the Preis von Europe and a second Breeders' Cup Turf. Named the 2024 Eclipse Champion Turf Male, Rebel's Romance also ran third in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.In 2025, he won another H.H. The Amir Trophy, and, two starts later, the G2 Yorkshire Cup and G2 Hardwicke Stakes back-to-back. Third in another King George, the dark bay snagged his second Grosser Preis von Berlin and his ninth Group/Grade 1, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes in New York. Second in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Turf, his final pair of starts were victories in the G2 Dubai City of Gold in Dubai and the aforementioned Princess of Wales's Stakes.He retires with a mark of 32-22-1-2 and earnings of $15,650,493 and is the leading Breeders' Cup starter by prize money. Rebel's Romance is the only horse to have amassed more than $5 million at the meeting. Plans for the gelding with the Godolphin Lifetime Care programme will be announced in the coming days.William Buick said, “Rebel's Romance has taken me on some great adventures and I feel immensely privileged to have been able to ride a horse of his stature. He proved time and time again to be an outstanding horse and I cherish the moments that we have had together.“He was a wonderful horse to ride, with such a presence and a will to win, and an immense credit to everyone at Godolphin associated with him. His record across the world was phenomenal and I owe him a great deal.”Out of the stakes-placed Minidresss (Street Cry), Rebel's Romance is a half-brother to G1 Jebel Hatta and GI Manhattan Stakes hero Measured Time (Frankel), as well as the stakes-placed Petticoat (Cape Cross).The post Champion Rebel’s Romance Retired appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.