Sydney trainer Gary Portelli's already high opinion of the unbeaten Rebel Dane has been revised upwards after the colt's come-from-behind win in the Royal Sovereign Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
After a slow start to the group two race, Rebel Dane ($3.10) came out last of the nine runners and that's where he stayed until the home turn.
As he started to make ground in the straight, Portelli thought Urquidez ($11) had given the field the slip and resigned himself to a minor placing at best.
However, Jason Collett on Rebel Dane had other thoughts and urged him to the line to put a head on Urquidez.
"When he was so far back I thought we might have had a few excuses," Portelli said. "At the top of the straight I thought, 'Here we go we might run a nice third or fourth.'