“There were a few naysayers and doubters but a broken clock is right twice a day” – Asfoora rewards Dwyer’s faith with ‘electric’ Nunthorpe win
The Henry Dwyer-trained Asfoora (Flying Artie) bounced back to form in dramatic fashion when she produced an ‘electric’ performance to win Friday’s Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) at York, earning herself a second career top-level success.
The seven-year-old mare was repeating the British tour win she delivered last year when she took out the King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) at Royal Ascot and on Friday the mare was atoning for her fourth-placed effort in the same Group 1 event on the Knavesmire 12 months ago.
This time round the mare arrived at York winless, having finished fifth in her pursuit to defend her King Charles crown and finished seventh in the King George Qatar Stakes, but she wasn’t leaving without getting her head in front.
Under Oisin Murphy, she roared back to form after a disappointing time in Britain so far, beating 100-1 outsider Ain’t Nobody (Sands Of Mali) by a length and a quarter. She was tasting victory for the first time since her win in R N Irwin Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Morphettville in April, while her last international success was that of her Ascot triumph.
The mare had been drifting in price before the race, going off at 11-1 after being as short as 11-2 in the 48 hours prior to the race.
Dwyer said: “We had to keep a little bit of faith, things didn’t really go to plan the first couple of runs. There were a few naysayers and doubters but a broken clock is right twice a day.
“You still doubt yourself because when they aren’t winning but we were confident we would see it through today.
“The race was worth a lot of money, more than she would’ve won in a race in Australia, there’s nothing for her as a five furlong specialist.
“Chanelle had galloped on her earlier in the week and just said ‘she wins’, It’s full credit to her, she’s been the one who’s been with her the whole time and looked after her.
“If I had owned the horse I wouldn’t have come back but Akran [owner] insisted she came back, he enjoyed everyone’s hospitality last year and thought she deserved another chance.”
In the stalls Asfoora was drawn close to Night Raider (Dark Angel), a horse Murphy knew well having ridden him twice before, and the jockey tucked the mare in behind the Wathnan colt before launching his challenge with two furlongs to go, and she showed blistering speed to see the race out strongly.
Murphy said: “It’s very difficult to bring them up from Australia two years on the trot and they had her in some condition today. She got a toe off Night Raider, I allowed her to roll forward, the track was very quick which suited her – she was electric. Chanelle does all the hard work with her, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes.
Asfoora will be given another chance to add a third Group 1 to her CV with the Flying Five (Gr 1, 5f) at the Curragh on September 14.
The daughter of Blue Gum Farm’s Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) was retained by her breeder Akram El-Fahkri of Noor Elaine Farm when she failed to make her $30,000 reserve at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2020.
Asfoora is the first foal out of the placed I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) mare Golden Child, who enjoyed a second winner when fellow Dwyer trainee Moaksun (Afkeed Mofeed) broke his maiden at Ballarat on August 11. Further back this is the same family as Group 3 winner Big Chill (Artie Schiller) and stakes-winning quartet Title Fighter (Lean Mean Machine), Hard Stride (Street Sense) and Utah Saints (God’s Own).
The mare is one of two Group 1 winners for Flying Artie with Artorius, who now stands at Newgate Farm.