Asfoora© Photo Healy Racing
Henry Dwyer expects Asfoora to prove a tough nut to crack when the Australian speedster bids to supplement Royal Ascot success in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood.
The five-year-old followed in the hoofprints of Choisir (2003), Takeover Target (2006), Mis Andretti (2007), Scenic Blast (2009) and Nature Strip (2022) to become the sixth antipodean raider to lift the King Charles III Stakes in mid-June.
While Dwyer has since returned to his homeland, Asfoora has stayed in Newmarket to enjoy the British summer and the Ballarat-based trainer could not be happier with the condition his stable star is in after touching back down on British soil earlier this week.
“I obviously hadn’t seen her since the day she won at Ascot, so it’s always a bit trepidatious to see what they look like, but I couldn’t be happier with her. She’s just amazing, in great order and has really settled in well now,” he said.
“The good weather over here has really brought her on. She had two weeks in the paddock in the sunshine after the Royal Ascot race and I think that’s really been the making of her.
“When she ran in Ascot she was still a little bit wintry and a little bit dull in her coat, but now you wouldn’t see a better coated horse in the whole of Newmarket I reckon – she looks outstanding.”
Asfoora will meet several of the same rivals she beat at Ascot when she tackles the flying five furlongs on the Sussex Downs, most notably the third-placed Big Evs, and Dwyer is keeping his fingers crossed for the same result on a track he believes will suit his charge even better.
He added: “It’s a very similar field to Ascot, minus Regional (runner-up) I suppose, and I think the Czech horse (Ponntos) is the only real new addition.
“I think if they all turn up in the same order they were at Ascot, she obviously had the wood on them there and hopefully she can again.
“Watching the replays they run along and half the field’s off the bridle to keep up, but she’s got very good, natural cruising speed, so I think she’ll be one of the ones that goes three-quarters of the way on the bridle and then she’s got a good turn of foot. I can’t see the track being an issue.
“We always thought it would suit her better than Ascot and York would suit her better than Ascot, so hopefully that’s the case.”
Big Evs has already proven his worth at Goodwood, having landed the Molecomb Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago.
His trainer Mick Appleby said: “It’s all going well with Big Evs at the moment. He came out of Ascot absolutely fine and has been in great order, so hopefully he can go and run well.
“He was brave when he won at this meeting last year, I hope the ground is going to be better than it was then as well.
“Goodwood will definitely suit him better than Ascot, but it is still a top race, there’s plenty of speed horses in there and it’s not going to be a gimme.”
The tough-as-teak Believing ran twice at the Royal meeting, finishing fourth in not only the King Charles but also the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes four days later.
George Boughey’s filly has since enjoyed a well-deserved day in the sun by landing the Group Two Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh and connections are hoping for another bold showing on Friday.
Harry Herbert, managing director for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said: “She’s a remarkable filly, she really is. To do what she’s done this year – going to Hong Kong and back, winning a Listed race and a Group Two in Ireland and running in two Group Ones in the same week at Royal Ascot and being placed in both – and honestly, you wouldn’t know she’s had a race.
“She loves her racing, she’s very like her daddy Mehmas, the way he carried his head and really tried his heart out and she’s very much the same.
“She seems to be thriving on her racing and given the way she is, George was very keen to aim for this and we’ll keep our fingers crossed.
“It’s a tough race, obviously, and it will be hard to beat the Aussie horse, but that’s the game. We all know in these sprints things can happen and form can duck and dive.”
Clive Cox saddles the Temple Stakes winner and King Charles fifth Kerdos but supplemented stablemate Jasour will unfortunately miss out following an accident on the gallops.
Czech raider Ponntos is back for a third tilt at this prize after finishing fifth in 2022 and sixth 12 months ago, and is fine form following successive Group-race wins in France.
Ralph Beckett’s Starlust and Adam West’s Nunthorpe hero of last season Live In The Dream, who will be ridden by Jason Hart for the first time in almost three years, also feature in a competitive event.
