[5] He entered into the ownership of Peter Savill, the chairman of the British Horseracing Board[6] and was sent into training with Mark Johnston at Middleham, North Yorkshire.
Royal Rebel failed to win in three starts as a two-year-old but showed some promise when finishing fourth in the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh.
[9] On his final appearance of the year, Royal Rebel traveled to Sweden for the Stockholm Cup International at Täby Racecourse, where he finished unplaced behind the Norwegian-trained six-year-old Albaran.
Equipped with blinkers and ridden by Mick Kinane, Royal Rebel stayed on strongly in the straight to catch Enzeli in the last stride and win by a short head[10] in what the Irish Independent described as a "gripping finish".
[13] Nineteen days later at York Racecourse Royal Rebel won his second consecutive Group race as he overcame interference in the straight to win the Lonsdale Stakes by a short head from Rainbow High.
[14] The gelding failed to win in his remaining three races but showed good form when finishing third to San Sebastian in the Group One Prix du Cadran and second to Persian Punch in the Jockey Club Cup.
Royal Rebel's form in the spring of 2001 was unimpressive as he finished unplaced in both the Yorkshire Cup (behind Marienbard) and the Henry II Stakes at Sandown.
In front of a crowd of over 72,000 he started at odds of 8/1 in a field which included Marienbard, San Sebastian, Persian Punch, Rainbow High and Yavana's Pace.
Kevin Darley who had ridden the gelding at Sandown felt that Royal Rebel resented wearing blinkers and Johnston decided to remove the headgear for the Ascot race.
As in the previous year, Royal Rebel showed little worthwhile form in the spring of 2002, finishing fifteenth under a weight of 141 pounds in the Chester Cup and eighth in the Henry II Stakes.
[21] The gelding remained in training as a nine-year-old in 2005 but was well-beaten in both his races and was retired after finishing unplaced in the Queen Alexandra Stakes, run that year at York.