A Grade 1 winner in America last year, Cinderella’s Dream became a Group 1 winner in England when she ran down favored January to capture the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
January, a 3-year-old getting nine pounds from 4-year-old Cinderella’s Dream and the other three older horses in the Falmouth, traveled sweetly from the start in this straight-course mile, and when she easily made the lead with about 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, January looked like she’d validate her surprisingly strong even-money favoritism on the American tote board. But William Buick on Cinderella’s Dream steered his mount several paths right to engage January, and Cinderella’s Dream produced a final half-furlong kick that her younger foe could not match, winning by a half-length.
Crimson Advocate, who’d upset Cinderella’s Dream in the Duke of Cambridge last month at Royal Ascot, finished third, no match for the top two and 1 3/4 lengths behind January.
Charlie Appleby trains Cinderella’s Dream for Godolphin. The 4-year-old filly is by Shamardal out of Espadrille, by Dubawi, and she won for the eighth time in a dozen outings.
Two of those wins came last year in New York, where Cinderella’s Dream captured the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and the Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks, both over 1 3/16 miles. After a three-month layoff, she finished second going 1 3/8 miles in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar, and Appleby, though uncertain where the filly would next start, said the same race stands as a long-term goal for Cinderella’s Dream this season.
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