Europe
Asfoora defies doubters in the Nunthorpe
It's been 13 years since Ortensia (Testa Rossa) claimed a first G1 Nunthorpe Stakes for Australia, and Henry Dwyer trainee Asfoora (Flying Artie) gained just reward for connections' long-held faith, doubling the antipodean tally, with a decisive victory in this year's renewal of the Knavesmire dash.
“I'd love to see the replay because it looked like she won quite convincingly.” said a jubilant Dwyer. “When you know they are going to win at the two-furlong marker, you are sort of on pretty good terms with yourself. It was an easy watch and it was great to be around a lot of friends.
“It was really enjoyable and it's just an incredible buzz to be validated with what you think. It was a little bit dicey and people were doubting her, but we didn't really lose faith. It's always hard to keep faith when they aren't winning, but we knew there were no excuses coming into today. It was win or be retired basically, and she's done the job.”
“It was a little bit dicey and people were doubting her (Asfoora), but we didn't really lose faith.” - Henry Dwyer
Asfoora's extended stay in Europe is set to continue and the trainer looked ahead to further Group 1 contests.
“The Flying Five in Ireland and the Prix de l'Abbaye in France are options, if she comes through this well,” Dwyer added. Asfoora will become Australia's first runner in Ireland if turning up at the Curragh.
“She's a 7-year-old mare and she may tell us she doesn't want to be there any more, but off the back of that result you can't say that is the case. We never set out to come over here, there were just no options back in Australia. Australian racing is amazing and the prizemoney is amazing, but it just doesn't quite cater for five-furlong horses like they do over here.
“We are under no illusions, we aren't Black Caviar or Ortensia, but she's picked her mark and she's tough. She turns up and runs her race when the circumstances are right and she's done that today. Ortensia is the only Australia sprinter to win the Nunthorpe before and it's probably the second biggest sprint in Europe, so it's amazing for us to win it too.”
“We are under no illusions, we aren't Black Caviar or Ortensia, but she's (Asfoora) picked her mark and she's tough.” - Henry Dwyer
Last year's G1 King Charles III Stakes victrix, fourth in the 2024 edition of this five-furlong contest, ran with credit when finishing close up, but out of the places, in June's King Charles III and this month's G2 King George Stakes at Goodwood.
She settled under cover behind the front rank after breaking to the fore. Making smooth headway once past halfway, the 11-1 chance loomed large going well soon after angling into the clear approaching the final furlong and dominated the closing stages under an Oisin Murphy drive to defeat 100-1 outsider Ain't Nobody (Sand Of Mali) by one and a quarter lengths. The race is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
Pedigree notes: Asfoora is the first of five foals and one of two winners from as many runners produced by Golden Child (I Am Invincible), herself kin to the dam of the Listed Hilton Nicholas Straight Six victor Title Fighter (Lean Mean Machine).
Asfoora's third dam, Listed Cadbury Roses Stakes runner-up Hard Rider (Maroof), has five stakes performers to her credit headed by multiple stakes-winning G3 W W Cockram Stakes third Hard Stride (Street Sense) and G3 Marsh Breeders' Stakes victrix Big Chill (Artie Schiller). Hard Rider is the leading performer for the stakes-placed Mrs Clancy (Shannon), herself kin to the dams of the Group 1 winners Art Success (Pentire) and Hello Dolly (Mi Preferido). Golden Child has a 2024 full sister to Asfoora to come.
'He's a beast': Wheatley enjoys Gimcrack breakthrough on Lifeplan
The least-experienced in the line-up for Friday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York, Martin Tedham's Lifeplan (Kodi Bear) stepped up in style to land the six-furlong contest. Coming off a taking Thirsk novice win last month, the Declan Carroll-trained €165,000 ($298,000) Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase who traded at 13-2 tracked the leader Rock On Thunder (Night Of Thunder) throughout and gave all for Zak Wheatley to get up close home and win by a length as they drew clear.
“There is no feeling like it, it's amazing,” Wheatley, who was unable to claim his three-pound allowance, said of his biggest riding achievement by far. “He jumped smart, but came back underneath me to take a lead and really took off. I wasn't sure I'd get past the leader, but he found that last gear. He's a beast–he's got such an engine and we've liked him for a long time. For the owners and the boss to trust me is massive.”
“He's a beast–he's got such an engine and we've liked him for a long time. For the owners and the boss to trust me is massive.” - Zak Wheatley
Trainer Declan Carroll added, “I would have liked a bit more juice in the ground, he changed legs once or twice but you saw how he ran down the leader. We've always held him in high regard, and although I thought it was a stiff task after just winning a novice to come into a Group Two, he is very streetwise.
“We'll enjoy today. He could be a Guineas horse, I guess, he's in the Middle Park and that may be his next step, but I'd want a bit of ease in the ground coming into the dip at Newmarket.”
Pedigree notes: Lifeplan is the first foal out of A Taad Moody (Awtaad), who was third in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes as a juvenile and whose second is a colt foal by Gleneagles. A half to the Listed winners Sunny King (Desert Sun) and Captain Ramius (Kheleyf), she hails from a German family replete with smart middle-distance performers including Pastorius (Soldier Hollow) whose trio of Group 1 successes included the Deutsches Derby.
Trawlerman leads home Gosden stable exacta in York's Lonsdale Cup
Royal Ascot's G1 Gold Cup hero Trawlerman (Golden Horn) went postward as the odds-on favourite for Thursday's G2 Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup Stakes at York and, towing home fellow Clarehaven representative Sweet William (Sea The Stars), emulated his John and Thady Gosden-trained former stablemate Stradivarius by winning the two-mile York marathon as a 7-year-old.
“The 3-year-old (Shackleton) made it a test of stamina, Trawlerman was giving him a full stone in weight, and they made a lovely race of it together,” said John Gosden. “You go 15 rounds with this boy and you know you've gone 15 rounds. There's no sting, he just grinds you into the ground.
“You go 15 rounds with this boy and you know you've gone 15 rounds.” - John Gosden
“Trawlerman and Sweet William have come away and they are proper, proper staying horses. We are delighted with them both, it's a long straight here and it was a proper old battle between the pair of them. One is seven and the other is six, and they are a lot of fun because staying races are an important part of our programme.
“Trawlerman's getting on and you have to respect his age. We will freshen him up now and, all being well, he will run one more time this year at Ascot on Champions Day. The horses tell you if you listen to them, if you force them, it never works. It will be Doncaster (for the G2 Doncaster Cup) for Sweet William, all being well.”
Pedigree notes: Trawlerman is the leading performer from two scorers out of G3 Deutsches St Leger second Tidespring (Monsun), herself one of three black-type representatives for G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Sweet Stream (Shantou). Tidespring is kin to stakes-winning G3 Munster Oaks third Loveisthehigherlaw (Kodiac) and Listed Radley Stakes placegetter Sweet Dream (Oasis Dream).
Sweet Stream is the leading performer out of the stakes-placed Snug Dinner (Jareer) while Sweet Dream produced G3 Prix Penelope victrix Making Dreams (Make Believe). Snug Dinner, the best daughter of the stakes-placed Stand By Me (Home Guard), is the second dam of Listed Premio Royal Mares victrix Testa O Croce (Orpen).
