Godolphin's Cinderella's Dream claimed her first domestic group 1 in the July 11 Falmouth Stakes (G1) to continue an excellent week at Newmarket Racecourse's July festival for William Buick and Charlie Appleby.
The jockey-trainer partnership enjoyed a treble at Newmarket July 10, including in the Princess of Wales's Stakes (G2) with El Cordobes, and this success was a second on the day.
Cinderella's Dream, the 5-2 second favorite behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained January at 6-4, started well and was kept in midfield before Buick gradually accelerated going into the dip.
The Shamardal 4-year-old was locked in battle with January and her Royal Ascot conqueror Crimson Advocate in the final stages but stayed on strongest for a half-length victory.
Cinderella's Dream was cut to 4-1 (from 8s) with Paddy Power for the Nassau Stakes (G1) at the Glorious Goodwood meeting July 31, although her top target this season will be a return to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) in November. She was beaten only half a length when sent off favorite in the Filly & Mare Turf last season, capping a strong United States campaign that saw the filly take the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) and Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G2T) in successive fashion.
Buick, who rode his 2,000th winner Thursday, said: "She's all class. It's a first domestic group 1 for her and it's well deserved. I'm so pleased for the filly and the whole team. She's been unlucky a couple of times but she put it all together.
"What a game filly she is, it was a ding-dong battle and she had to give the second (January) 9 pounds which is never easy. She's been a wonderful filly and I'm so thrilled."
Cinderella's Dream was one of the disappointments for Appleby at Royal Ascot when beaten as favorite for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2) by Crimson Advocate, but the form was comfortably reversed Friday.
"It makes up for Ascot which was a long week," Appleby said. "We came here with confidence as the horse was in great nick. I'm delighted for the filly; our ultimate aim was to win a group 1 in Europe and she has.
"I felt we were better coming into this than at Ascot when we were beaten too far out, so it was one of those where we put a line through. She had an easy week after that and we got going from there. Full credit to the team to get her back to where she was.
"We'll work back from the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf but how we get there I don't know. We'll let the dust settle."
Appleby and Buick could continue the excellent spell at Newmarket Saturday with Notable Speech, who heads the betting for the July Cup (G1).
January was well backed and traveled strongly for Ryan Moore before finishing second. The Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville Aug. 3 could be her next target, said Aidan O'Brien. Crimson Advocate finished another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
