Cinderella’s Dream delivered a brilliant performance to secure a Group 1 Falmouth Stakes victory, giving the Godolphin racing team Dubai its 450th Group 1 triumph during the spectacular Dubai July Festival 2025. The emotional high point was paired with retained jockey William Buick achieving his 2,000th career win—a double milestone that defined the weekend at Newmarket.
At the heart of this significant achievement was Cinderella’s Dream, the royal blue filly who, under the expert guidance of Charlie Appleby and William Buick, surged past Irish rival January to claim the title by half a length. The victory confirmed Godolphin’s elite standing in the world of horse racing and underlined the team’s depth and talent.
“This filly is all class,” said Buick. “She gave everything, and it’s days like these that make the job so rewarding.”
The win highlighted a dominant Friday for the team, with Appleby and Buick also securing victories in the Heritage Handicap and the EBF Maiden Stakes, showcasing the strength and consistency of the Godolphin racing team Dubai.
Buick’s Milestone Adds to Dubai Historic Racing Milestone
The success of the Dubai July Festival 2025 was already underway a day earlier. On Thursday, Buick rode El Cordobes to a win in the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes. That victory marked his 2,000th in British racing—an extraordinary feat that stands as a Dubai Historic racing milestone in itself.
“To do it here at Newmarket, for Charlie and Godolphin, it means everything,” said an emotional Buick. “I owe so much to my family and the entire team.”
Buick, who joined Godolphin as a retained jockey in 2015, has since claimed multiple British jockeys’ titles and memorable wins, including the 2018 Epsom Derby with Masar. His success at the Dubai July Festival 2025 only cemented his legendary status in the global racing scene.
Mixed Results in Saturday’s Dubai Horse Racing Event
While Friday was all about triumph, Saturday brought a mix of emotions. In one of the more surprising results of the Dubai horse racing event, trainer Richard Hughes shocked the field with 66/1 outsider No Half Measures, who claimed the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai July Cup—twenty years after Hughes had won it as a jockey on Oasis Dream.
Godolphin’s highly anticipated entry, Notable Speech, the 2,000 Guineas winner and race favorite, failed to fire and finished sixth in the six-furlong sprint. Despite this, the weekend’s larger narrative was firmly about success and resilience.
Al Basti Equiworld, a key sponsor and major supporter of equestrian sports, continued its investment in elite global racing, reinforcing Dubai’s leading role in shaping the sport’s future. From high-profile Group 1 events to developmental initiatives for jockeys, Al Basti is deeply embedded in both the heritage and future of international horse racing.
Back at Newmarket, the festival closed on a high note for Godolphin. In the Group 2 Superlative Stakes, two-year-old Saba Desert overcame a rough start to win convincingly, giving the stable its eighth victory in the race’s history. The young colt joined the ranks of Godolphin stars like Dubawi and Native Trail—horses that began their journeys with strong Superlative Stakes performances.
Trainer Charlie Appleby spoke highly of the colt’s potential:
“Saba Desert did everything we could have asked for. He wasn’t straightforward today, but that often brings out the best in the good ones.”
This win added to the team’s stellar weekend and contributed to yet another Dubai Historic racing milestone, reinforcing their position as a world leader in the sport.
As the dust settles on the Dubai July Festival 2025, Godolphin walks away not only with silverware but also with its legacy further etched into racing history—a testament to excellence, determination, and Dubai’s unmatched influence in the equine world.
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