Cinderella’s Dream aiming to add another chapter to Meydan folklore

G1-winning filly Cinderella’s Dream looks to maintain her perfect record at Meydan, UAE, when she makes her four-year-old return in the G2 Balanchine on Friday, 21 February.

The daughter of Shamardal started last season with two notable wins at the track, easily taking the Jumeirah Fillies Classic before scoring by five and a half lengths in the Jumeirah 1,000 Guineas, despite racing without irons for most of the race.

After finishing seventh in the G1 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, Cinderella’s Dream enjoyed an excellent summer in New York with impressive victories in the G1 Belmont Oaks and G2 Saratoga Oaks.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, the Eclipse Award finalist has her first start since going down by half a length to Champion Mare Moira in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in early November.

Charlie Appleby said: “We gave Cinderella’s Dream a little break following the Breeders’ Cup and she looks fresh and well. This will be her only start in Dubai before we look at taking her back out to North America for the summer. She isn’t finely tuned for this, as it’s the start of hopefully another long campaign, but her preparation has gone well and she looks a worthy favourite.”

Godolphin stayers have won the last eight renewals of the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy and two contenders for the 14-furlong contest this year include the Charlie Appleby-trained King Of Conquest, who was beaten a head over the course and trip in January’s G3 Al Khail Trophy.

Dubai Future was runner-up in the 2020 running of the Nad Al Sheba Trophy and the nine-year-old, successful in the G3 Bahrain International Trophy in 2022, steps back up in trip for Saeed bin Suroor on his first outing in 14 months.  

Charlie Appleby said: “King Of Conquest has proven very consistent so far this year and put up another strong effort in the Al Khail Trophy. He takes his racing well and should be very competitive again.”

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Dubai Future is having his first start for a while, although I have been really pleased with his work. He has gone well at Meydan before and I’m hoping for another good run.”

Emperor’s Star and First View go in the evening’s nine-furlong turf handicap, with both horses having run well over a similar trip already this season. Movie Maker, twice successful over shorter in the UK, lines up in the same race.