Henry Dwyer’s classy sprinter Asfoora booked her spot in February’s Group-1 Oakleigh Plate after blitzing her rivals in the 1000-metre Caulfield Sprint on Saturday. The four-year-old mare was a class above her rivals, smashing the clock on her way to a class record and two-and-three-quarter-length win in the Group-2 feature sprint. The daughter of Flying Artie was first to leave the barriers, jockey Jye McNeil letting his mount settle into her rhythm as she took up the lead a few lanes off the rail. McNeil had a length buffer rounding the home bend and when he shook the reins at the furlong marker, Asfoora exploded and quickly dashed three lengths ahead, the race over in a matter of strides. It was a dominant win from the Noor Elaine Farm product, whose trainer was full of praise post-race. “She was terrific today”, he beamed. “She pinged the gates, put herself on-speed, ran a super time and did it all quite easily”. Dwyer explained that the plan had been to run her at Flemington during Cup week, but would have no hesitation in sending his star mare to the paddock if he thought she’d had enough this time in. “If there’s any reason to tip her out, we’ll do that. But if not, we’ll continue onto Cup week.
“Everything we do with her, as it has been for the last six or eight months, needs to be geared towards the Oakleigh Plate”.
Asfoora is building an impressive record, her latest victory making it five wins from seven starts in a career trending in a sharp upwards trajectory.