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| Staff Writer |
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Al Asifah, the talented filly by Frankel, is determined to redeem herself after a disappointing performance at the prestigious Royal Ascot. Her chance for redemption comes in the form of the highly anticipated EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies' Stakes.
Al Asifah had made a tremendous impact in her debut race at Haydock in May, securing a resounding victory. Following this triumph, she went on to impress the racing world even further with an outstanding performance in a Listed event at Goodwood the following month. Such was her brilliance that her connections decided to pay the supplementary fee to enter her in the highly esteemed Ribblesdale Stakes, a mere 11 days later.
However, the gamble did not yield the desired outcome. Al Asifah, under the guidance of trainers John and Thady Gosden, finished a disappointing sixth, well behind Warm Heart, who went on to secure victories in the Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille. Recognizing the toll this exertion had taken on their young prodigy, her handlers decided to give her an extended break to recover and rejuvenate.
Now, Al Asifah returns to the racing scene, eager to reestablish her dominance. The EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies' Stakes presents a golden opportunity for her to showcase her immense talent once again. With her previous victories serving as a testament to her abilities, all eyes will be on Al Asifah as she looks to reclaim her position among the elite fillies of the racing world.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owner-breeders Shadwell, said, “We gave her a nice break after Ascot and she seems in good form, so getting her back on the track will be very interesting. Until she disappoints again, I would say it all came quickly for her in the Ribblesdale. Lots of clever people said she didn’t stay the mile and a half, but for me that wasn’t what got her beaten as she wouldn’t have won at a mile and a quarter either.
“I just think she was very flat on the day. She’s a big, immature filly and while she’s not temperamentally unsound, I think everything just got on top of her a little bit (at Ascot). I’m sure she’ll be better in time and we hope she does well enough to keep her in training next year.”
Al Asifah is up against a challenging task as she prepares to make her first competitive appearance since finishing third in the Musidora at York in the spring. The presence of Sir Michael Stoute's Infinite Cosmos adds to the difficulty, as this horse has proven to be a formidable competitor. Meanwhile, Sapphire Seas is stepped up in class by Charlie Appleby having won her last three starts.
Gold added, “It always is a good race this and a great race to have on the calendar. You have fillies coming back from little niggles and different things, so it will be a good test for her.”
Mukaddamah, trained by Roger Varian, will proudly display the Shadwell colours in the upcoming race. Despite having previously performed well in Listed races, Gold acknowledges that this particular assignment presents a formidable challenge for this grade.
He said, “She’s a nice, solid filly and we’ve been trying to win a Listed race with her. With the other filly in here I wouldn’t expect her to win this, but we don’t have many options as she doesn’t really like soft ground, so I think they just felt this was the obvious race for her.”