“He's the best – forget the rest.” So jockey James McDonald summed up Romantic Warrior after his record-breaking three-peat in the Hong Kong Cup (G1).

Overlooked at 15-1 in a deep renewal of the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on Saturday, Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance parlayed an advantageous trip into a two-length victory at Meydan.