Caulfield
Race 8 – Asfoora
Jockey – Mitch Aitken
1100m – Barrier 3
Star sprinter Asfoora takes on Group-3 company upon resumption at Caulfield this afternoon. The speedy mare looked ultra-impressive in a recent trial at Stawell, and returns to a track where she’s twice a winner from three starts. Jockey Mitch Aitken rides from barrier three and will let the five-year-old use her natural early speed to find a position somewhere near the lead.
Midwest has drawn just outside Asfoora and will bounce quickly, looking to cross and find the rail in the early stages. Starry Legend will roll forward from out wide with perhaps Magic Time to come with it, meaning Aitken may find himself leaders’ back heading to the home bend. Sigh is three from three this preparation and building a solid overall record. She won the John Monash last start (this grade/track/trip) and will be full of confidence. This is a tougher race, but hard to knock winning form. She’ll be thereabouts. Magic Time is first-up having jumped out well behind Giga Kick. She won at this level in Sydney when fresh last campaign, handing Parisal her only defeat for the preparation. Back to 1100-metres the query but cannot be ignored. Concede each way chances to Ingratiating, Kallos and Generation, who are all quality sprinters.
Asfoora was beaten under a length in the Group-1 Oakleigh Plate when fresh last preparation, where she ran an excellent race with a few things going against her. Her previous first-up runs have resulted in big wins and she presents fit and healthy to the races today. She’s the class factor in this and the one the rest of the field have to beat. Barring bad luck, it’s unlikely they can.
Currently, Asfoora is a $3.10 chance in the market.