The global superstar Rebel’s Romance gave young jockey Billy Loughnane a moment he will never forget when the pair ran out gallant winners of the Group 1 Westminster 135. Grosser Preis Von Berlin on Sunday.

Back at the scene of his breakthrough top-level success in this contest three years ago, Rebel's Romance would line up under Billy Loughnane for the first time, with Godolphin's number one rider William Buick in action at Deauville on the same afternoon.

A winner of two Breeders' Cup Turfs, the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, Charlie Appleby's evergreen gelding has since become a global superstar for Godolphin.

Following a very respectable third-place finish behind Calandagan in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, this year's Hardwicke Stakes hero was all the rage for the in-form Charlie Appleby team.

As the field turned for home, Junko still held sway and was by no means in any sort of mood to allow Rebel's Romance to sweep on past. However, with a furlong and a half left to travel, Rebel's Romance moved upsides for a crack at the long-time leader, and with Loughnane in full drive, he galvanised his mount to the head of affairs late on. To his credit, Andre Fabre's Junko continued to fight away down on the rail, but he couldn't match the finishing kick of the eventual winner, who went away to land the prize by a length to give Billy Loughnane a first success in Group 1 company.

A delighted Loughnane told the World Pool: "It's pretty cool to be fair. Obviously, we know he has the form in the book. It's a lovely track here - very straightforward. When the first half went smoothly, I knew he'd be there at the business end."

Billy Loughnane's first Group 1 success comes on the back of an excellent relationship with Charlie Appleby, with the teenage star now successful on twelve of his nineteen rides for powerhouse Newmarket handler.

"He's an ultimate rock star," added Appleby, who was speaking to Sky Sports Racing from Deauville. "He just turns up at the top table every time and you know he's going to run his solid race. For him to go and do it there in Germany is great.

"For Billy Loughnane, to have his first Group 1 winner I'm delighted to have given him the opportunity to go and do that. It's well deserved. I'm sure it will be the first of many.

"I'm not sure what plan we're on nowadays, but he'll be heading to Canada most likely for the Canadian International Stakes (Gr.1). We'll let the dust settle and form a plan."