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| Staff Writer |
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Asfoora, owned by Henry Dwyer and sired by Flying Artie, won the Gr. 2 Caulfield Sprint on Saturday. Asfoora ($4.20), ridden by Jye Mcneil in place of regular rider Mitch Aitken, prevailed by a distance of 2 3/4 lengths over Kallos ($7) and the odds-on favourite Generation ($3.80), which finished a distant third by 1 1/4 lengths. Asfoora won her first three races, finished third in a stakes race to end her maiden season, and then won impressively in a midweek race at Sandown. After finishing outside the money at Moonee Valley, she was sent out as the heavy favourite but ultimately failed to win. Dwyer won the event for the second time with Asfoora on Saturday, after previously winning with Snitty Kitty in 2017.
“We’ve been up in Ballarat for two years now,” Dwyer said.
“I know we’ve had a Group 2, and might have won a Group 3, but she is certainly the best horse I’ve saddled up for a very long time and is reminiscent of Snitty Kitty who won this race a few years ago. It’s been a long-range plan, pretty much since she went to the paddock last preparation, but it hasn’t been completely smooth sailing. There have been a few road bumps along the way, but all’s well that ends well,” informed Dawyer.
Dwyer explained Aitken had a sore hand but would have struggled to make Asfoora’s weight of 53kg on Saturday.
However, Dwyer was highly appreciative of Aitken’s input into the early preparation of Asfoora.
“Full credit to Mitch! The places we’re going with her, she’s going to get in with light weights.We’re going to have a crack at the Oakleigh Plate and those sorts of races so Mitch was very good to us, and he’ll be back on her at some stage,” Dwyer said.