Asfoora aims to continue the impressive legacy of Australian sprinters at Royal Ascot in the G1 King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday, June 18th.

Five of Australia’s seven victories at Royal Ascot have been in the five-furlong highlight, thanks to Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast, and most recently, Nature Strip in 2022.

Asfoora, a dual G2 winner at Caulfield, has twice placed at the top level under Henry Dwyer, notably finishing behind Imperatriz in the G1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley last September.

The five-year-old experienced European racing last month in the G2 Temple Stakes at Haydock Park, where she faded to fourth after a strong start.

Dwyer, speaking earlier this week in Newmarket, said, “Asfoora arrived here five weeks before the Temple Stakes, so she has been here just over two months. We came earlier to avoid the season change—Australia is heading into winter while it’s spring here. Staying longer in Australia would have resulted in her growing a winter coat. This timing gave her a chance to acclimatize and settle in.”

“We had this plan 14 or 16 months ago when she won a couple of 1,000m races at Caulfield. In Australia, our options are limited for five or five-and-a-half-furlong sprints, as most top sprints are six furlongs, which isn’t her distance. She’s a true five-furlong horse, and there’s a good series of races here.”

“To prepare, we took her to Perth, which is a four-hour flight from Melbourne, to get her used to traveling. Despite being a high-strung filly, she handled it well, giving us confidence to bring her here.”

Dwyer confirmed plans for Asfoora to race at Goodwood, York, the Curragh, and Longchamp after Royal Ascot, adding, “If you’re going to aim high, go all the way! In Australia, she’d just be in a paddock. She’s won G2 and G3 races but never a G1. We believe she has better chances here to achieve that, which is crucial for her residual value as a mare.”