The lightly raced Flying Artie mare Asfoora turned a competitive Group II Caulfield Sprint (1000m) into a two and three-quarter length romp.
Ridden by Jye McNeil for Henry Dwyer, Asfoora opened her stakes account in defeating Medaglia d’Oro (USA) 4yo Kallos with the Snitzel 4yo Generation a length and a quarter back in third.
The winner of her first three starts, Asfoora lost her unbeaten record when third behind Argentia in the Group III Kevin Hayes Stakes at (1200m) at Caulfield in February. She returned from an extended spell for a soft win at Sandown on September 7 but had little luck when almost falling before clocking in seventh behind Wolflands at Moonee Valley.
Bred by Noor Elaine Farm and offered for sale at the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Asfoora failed to make her $30,000 reserve.
Dwyer compared Asfoora favorably with Snitty Kitty, who won the Caulfield Sprint in 2017.
“We have been up in Ballarat for two years now, I know we’ve had a Group II, might have won a Group III, but she is certainly the best horse I’ve saddled up for a very long time and reminiscent of Snitty Kitty who won this race a few years ago,” Dwyer said.
“It’s been a really long-range plan pretty much since she went to the paddock last preparation and it hasn’t been completely smooth sailing - there have been a few road bumps along the way. All’s well that ends well.
“I’m thrilled for the team at Noor Elaine Farm who bred her. They do a terrific job up there and for them to have a mare like her, is just so good for their brand and I’m rapt.”
Coincidently Asfoora’s dam Golden Child finished third to Snitty Kitty at Mornington when making her career debut. It was the best finish for the daughter of I Am Invincible in four starts after she had been purchased for $60,000 from the Musk Creek Farm draft at the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Henry Dwyer Racing returned to the 2022 Adelaide Magic Millions to purchase Golden Child’s Akeed Mofeed colt for $120,000.
Golden Child has a yearling colt by Ilovethiscity and visited Dirty Work last spring.
Asfoora is the fourth stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s Flying Artie and the first for I Am Invincible as a broodmare sire..
