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Despite receiving offers to buy the Royal Ascot-conquering Australian sprinter Asfoora, the owner has firmly stated that they will not entertain any offers.
Akram El-Fahkri, the owner of the Group One -winning mare, returned to Melbourne after witnessing his Henry Dwyer-trained homebred land the Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes on the opening day of the royal meeting ,and remains resolute in the decision not to part with the valuable mare, despite significant interest .
"I am a businessman, but I am telling you quite flatly that she's not for sale," El-Fahkri told ANZ Bloodstock News. "It's not 'no matter what'—it'd be a brave man to stand between me and a bag of money, and commercial realities have to be considered properly—but I'd cause a ruckus in my family if she was sold."
Asfoora, a descendant of Flying Artie, is set to extend her European campaign at the Gr.2 King George Stakes in Goodwood on August 2 and the Gr.1 Nunthorpe in York three weeks later.
Her outstanding performance at Royal Ascot, which was a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win & You're In" race, has also secured her an invitation to compete in the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on November 2.
During the remaining international journey of his prized mare, El-Fahkri will be staying in Australia, entrusting the responsibilities at York to his brother Daniel. They are also contemplating a potential entry in the Breeders' Cup.
"The caveat there is that she is well and is not being overtaxed by going there (America)," the owner said.
"One very comforting thing is she travels like a baby in a pram. Her trip from Australia to the UK was unremarkable. She didn't turn a hair. I am even reckoning she didn't lose any weight on the trip.
"Perhaps she's a late maturer. In her adolescent years, if we could phrase it that way, she was fractious and a little fizzy."
El-Fahkri made it clear that the possibility of Asfoora being mated to top European and American stallions like Frankel, Kingman, or Justify hadn't been considered. Instead, the primary focus is on Asfoora's racing career.
"It is premature to talk that way (sending Asfoora to stud in the northern hemisphere)," he said. "She is a healthy horse and there's no reason not to expect that she can race on for another two years."
Since the birth of Asfoora at El-Fahkri's Euroa stud, her dam, Golden Child, has produced three colts by Akeed Mofeed, resident sire Ilovethiscity, and Dirty Work.
She is back in foal to Flying Artie (AUS), who stands nearby at Blue Gum Farm. While many breeders would be hoping for a filly, the businessman in El-Fahkri shines through.
"If it's a filly we'll race her and if it's a colt we'll take him to the sales," he said. "I wouldn't mind a colt and if it is, whoever buys him, I'd be more than happy to keep a leg in him."
El-Fahkri, an entrepreneur with interests in various businesses including a taxi firm in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote, recently travelled to the UK for the first time and had the opportunity to visit the British racing town of Newmarket. He was highly impressed with the equine facilities, describing them as "second to none."