July Festival delivers historic milestone for Dubai's Godolphin stable
The defining moment came on Friday as Cinderella's Dream, a filly bred in the royal blue tradition of excellence, stormed to a stirring victory in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes to mark Godolphin's 450th top-level win since the stable was founded in 1993.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by Buick, Cinderella's Dream showed trademark grit and class as she fended off a determined challenge from Irish raider January, pulling half a length clear at the finish.
'This filly is all class,' said Buick, who was celebrating his 60th Group 1 win with Godolphin. 'She gave everything, and it's days like these that make the job so rewarding.'
The victory was the centrepiece of a sensational Friday treble for the Appleby-Buick axis, with King's Charter landing the Heritage Handicap and Distant Storm taking the Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes.
Buick joins Racing Royalty
But before Cinderella's Dream stole the show, Thursday had already delivered a moment of personal significance for Buick. In the Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes, his masterful ride aboard El Cordobes brought home a victory that sealed his 2,000th British win, a milestone that cements the 36-year-old Norwegian-born jockey as one of the modern greats of the weighing room.
'I'm incredibly proud,' Buick said. 'To do it here at Newmarket, for Charlie and Godolphin, it means everything. I owe so much to my family, and to everyone at Godolphin who has supported me since I joined as a stable jockey in 2015.'
Since then, Buick has won the British jockeys' title in 2022 and 2023, and ridden more than 150 winners in each of those championship years, including one in the coveted Epsom Derby in 2018 aboard the legendary Masar.
The three-day July Festival ultimately reaffirmed Godolphin's deep resources and competitiveness, although Saturday brought mixed fortunes.
The day's big story came from outside their camp, as former jockey-turned-trainer Richard Hughes delivered a shock result in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup (G1), saddling rank outsider No Half Measures to a stunning victory, two decades after he won the same race aboard Oasis Dream.
Notable Speech, Godolphin's star miler and 2,000 Guineas winner who went into the race as the favourite, couldn't replicate that form and finished sixth in the six-furlong sprint.
Al Basti's Commitment to Racing
Race sponsor Al Basti Equiworld, a prominent equine industry supplier based in Dubai, was established in 1998, demonstrates a strong global commitment to top-level horse racing through both marquee sponsorships and holistic investment in racing communities worldwide.
Spanning Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, and Dubai, their support includes high-profile races as well as grassroots initiatives like jockey development schemes, reflecting a dedication to nurturing the sport's future.
Back at Newmarket, Godolphin did not leave the final day's race empty-handed. In the Group 2 Superlative Stakes, two-year-old Saba Desert overcame a stuttering start to power home under Buick, sealing Godolphin's eighth win in the race's history. The win was a nod to former champions like Dubawi, Master of the Seas, and Native Trail, who used the race as a springboard to elite careers.
Trainer Appleby hinted at high hopes for the young Dubawi colt: 'Saba Desert did everything we could have asked for, he's a colt with real potential. He wasn't straightforward today, but that often brings out the best in the good ones.'
With targets like the G1 National Stakes or Dewhurst now under discussion, Saba Desert may well be the next headline act from a stable that is showing no sign of slowing down.
By the Numbers: Godolphin & Buick
450
Group 1 wins worldwide for Godolphin since its founding in 1993.
2,000
Career British wins for William Buick after Thursday's Princess of Wales's Stakes.
10
Group 1 wins for Godolphin in the 2025 season to date.
60+
Group 1 victories by Buick in Godolphin colours since 2015.
2
British Champion Jockey titles in the Godolphin colours for Buick (2022, 2023).
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