4 days ago
Cinderella's Dream a reality as Godolphin strikes landmark 450 Group 1 win
The historic July Course at Newmarket Racecourse in the UK delivered a storybook script for Dubai's Team Godolphin, as two extraordinary days of racing saw them add another Group 1 victory, notch their 10th top-tier win of 2025, and witness a career-defining moment for their leading rider, William Buick.
At the heart of Friday's drama at the storied racetrack, which comprises undulating terrain and a famous dip about two furlongs from home, was the courageous Cinderella's Dream, who brought the Godolphin silks storming home in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, the feature race of the day.
The four-year-old daughter of Shamardal, a product of blue-blooded breeding, proved once again why she's one of the most talented fillies in training when outbattling a quality field to claim her first elite European success. The win also marked a landmark 450th Group 1 victory for the Dubai-owned stable, a number that reflects decades of global dominance.
Buick, full of praise, called Cinderella's Dream 'all class,' as she fought off Aidan O'Brien's January in a thrilling stretch duel, giving away 9lbs and still finishing half a length clear.
'I am delighted with Cinderella's Dream. Everyone involved with her said she has been ticking all the boxes over the last 10 days or so,' said trainer Charlie Appleby
Cinderella's Dream's win was part of a sensational Friday treble for the Appleby-Buick partnership, which also included King's Charter in the Heritage Handicap and Distant Storm in the Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes.
But it was Thursday that delivered a personal milestone for Buick himself. Steering El Cordobes to victory in the Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes, the 36-year-old rider with Scottish and Scandinavian roots, chalked up his 2,000th British winner. This staggering achievement places him firmly among the sport's modern greats.
'I am very proud. Thanks go to a lot of people, my family first and foremost, as you cannot do it without them,' Buick told the Godolphin website. 'Thanks to all the owners, trainers and stable staff who have helped me, especially Charlie and Godolphin, over the last 10 years. It has been hanging over me for a while, so to do it at this meeting for Charlie and Godolphin means the world.
Buick, who has been Godolphin's retained rider since 2015, has captured some of the sport's biggest prizes, including the 2018 Derby aboard Masar and consecutive 2,000 Guineas with Notable Speech and Ruling Court.
Together, the past two days have not only reaffirmed Godolphin's supremacy on British turf but also showcased the enduring power of loyalty, class, and excellence that are embedded in the team's identity.
