The Meydan Racecourse concluded its 2025 Dubai Racing Carnival calendar with a spectacular Festive Friday event, serving as a pivotal precursor to the upcoming 30th Dubai World Cup in March 2026. The evening witnessed extraordinary dominance from racing’s elite, with trainers Charlie Appleby and Bhupat Seemar orchestrating remarkable one-two-three finishes across multiple races, a rare achievement in such competitive fixtures. Godolphin’s premier jockey William Buick further electrified the event by securing an impressive quartet of victories, three adorned in the stable’s iconic royal blue silks. The high-stakes program offered crucial early indicators for the season’s trajectory, with several performances positioning horses as serious contenders for the prestigious $12 million Dubai World Cup. The featured AED1 million G2 Al Maktoum Mile was commandeered by Bhupat Seemar’s Imperial Emperor, who delivered a powerful comeback under jockey Tadhg O’Shea. The Deva Racing-owned gelding demonstrated superior tactical speed to secure victory ahead of stablemates Commissioner King and Mendelssohn Bay. Simultaneously, the G2 Al Rashidiya was captured by Godolphin’s Opera Ballo, a promising colt trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by Buick. The son of a champion middle-distance specialist displayed breathtaking acceleration to defeat a quality field, including four-time Group 1 winner Nations Pride, by a decisive three-length margin. Buick’s mastery extended throughout the card with additional wins aboard Mysterious Night in the Listed Business Bay Challenge and Cover Up in the Listed Ertijaal Dubai Dash. The evening also celebrated international talent, with YAS Racing’s Muraad making a triumphant UAE debut and British raider Heart Of Honor showcasing exceptional stamina in the Listed Entisar Stakes. Michael Costa of Jebel Ali Stable completed the night’s narrative of training excellence by saddling his own one-two-three finish, underscoring the depth of competition present at the Carnival.