Charlie Appleby's Rebel's Romance clips heels and unseats Richard Mullen in Saratoga Grade 2

Godolphin’s Rebel Romance dramatically unseated Richard Mullen when clipping heels on the turn into the straight when an odds-on favourite in the Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga on Sunday night.

The Charlie Appleby-trained five-year-old won three consecutive top-level races last year, culminating in victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland in November, but was unable to add another international prize to his CV in this Grade 2 event.

Rebel’s Romance was travelling well in behind the leaders on the final bend when Mullen angled out to his right, with the 11-20 favourite making contact with the eventual fifth Tawny Port and crashing his rider into the turf.

Mullen was reported to be conscious and alert and had movement in all his limbs but was taken to Albany Medical Centre for assessment, while Rebel’s Romance was caught by an outrider and was moving fine afterwards.

Victory went to the nine-year-old Channel Maker, the 2020 Eclipse Award winner for champion turf gelding, who made most for a two-length win for Bill Mott and Manuel Franco. 

It was Channel Maker’s second victory in the race, having shared the prize with Glorious Empire in 2018 following a dead-heat.

Adam Wachtel, part of Channel Maker’s ownership group that includes Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R.A. Hill Stable and Gary Barber, said: "He's something special. Maybe I've had some more talented horses, but he's the best horse I've owned. We couldn't be more proud owning a horse like this.

"People were asking why we hadn’t retired him but he looks like a four-year-old. He loves to race and loves to train and we won't pull the plug until our trainer tells us."

The sixth-placed Soldier Rising ran for prize-money only after he was mistakenly scratched by Equibase prior to the first race on Sunday and the stewards suspended betting on him.

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