Latest news with #HenryDwyer
News.com.au
25-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Henry Dwyer cautiously optimistic about Asfoora's King Charles III Stakes defence at Royal Ascot
Trainer Henry Dwyer has conceded Royal Ascot-winning Group 1 mare Asfoora could be vulnerable in her King Charles III Stakes title defence next month. Asfoora will be floated to Sydney this week ahead of her long haul flight to Europe on Thursday. Dwyer ideally wanted Asfoora in England already but could not get a suitable flight for the $2.5m prizemoney earner and short-course specialist which stunned Royal Ascot last year. 'Last year we saw a huge improvement from Haydock (4th in a Group 2) to Ascot … we're not really going to get that opportunity this year (racing two weeks after arrival) so we're going in as we are and she probably keeps improving after that,' Dwyer said. 'Last year we went over and thought the Nunthorpe at York in late August was going to be her race and I think we cooked her a bit by that stage, she had a big preparation. 'This year with the later start for her … maybe that will be her peak this time and I think that's the right race for her, the right track for her, and acclimatization wise it would make sense she's better by then. 'I'm looking at that, we used Goodwood as a lead-up to York last year, she probably should've won at Goodwood, she was a bit unlucky not to, so that's on the radar again, and then off to York. 'Whatever happens after that is a bonus.' The astute Ballarat horseman has prepared Asfoora primarily for another European odyssey and said the experience last year helped on and off the track now 12 months on. 'It was a weird feeling last year because we were the Australian but we weren't a hyped Australian and I probably did my best to dull it down a bit because I didn't want to spruik her and then go no good, which was a real possibility,' Dwyer said. 'Whereas this year we know she measures up so it's a lot easier, we know the lay of the land … this year we know exactly what track we want to work on every morning and last year we were finding our feet, those first few weeks. 'She'll be in the same stable as she was last year, she's been to each of the race tracks, she'll be more settled because of that, I think it's a good scenario for us. 'My worry last year with Ascot was a stiff five furlongs (1000m) up the hill there, the worries were unfounded, she coped with it no dramas, it's more like an 1100m which I think is her pet distance and she handled it last year so she can probably do the same this year.'
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Asfoora completes crucial gallop at Flemington as Henry Dwyer-trained mare prepares to defend Royal Ascot crown
Royal Ascot champion Asfoora has tuned up for her Group 1 King Charles III crown defence with a slick straight gallop at Flemington on Friday. Asfoora, trained by Henry Dwyer, will be floated to Sydney next week before another European odyssey, starting at Royal Ascot on June 18. The short turnaround from long haul flight, '38 to 40 hours door to door', to race day the only concern for Dwyer, trying to become the first international trainer to defend a Royal Ascot title. 'That would be a nice (achievement),' Dwyer said. 'There's another stat, no Australian horse has ever won a race in France, no Australian-trained horse has ever raced in Ireland, there's all sorts of little things we could tick off along the way for a bit of posterity I suppose. 'When you train 40 horses or something at Ballarat you're not probably going to be training Melbourne Cup winners, little victories like breaking new ground is what it's all about, she was able to do it last year and we could tick off a couple more boxes this year.' Asfoora clocked a solid 44.8 seconds for the last 800m and finished alongside Winnasedge, trained by Nick Ryan, in the 900m course proper jump out. Royal Ascot champion Asfoora has tuned up for her Group 1 King Charles III crown defence with a slick straight gallop at Flemington on Friday. Story: @gilbertgardiner ðŸ'‡ — News Racing (@superracing) May 23, 2025 • Limited options force Ruakaka to launch Sandown raid 'I thought she was really good this morning, we needed to come here and have a solid hit out,' Dwyer said. 'She hasn't raced for, I think the Sangster was four weeks ago, and she's now three weeks before Ascot, we're in a tricky position where we needed to freshen up after what was a bit of a flat run last time probably because of a busy time before it. 'We had a week or 10 days of doing nothing with her and built up to this trial, we tried to use it as a bit of a quasi race to get one in the bank before she goes.' Asfoora has done it!!! She wins the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot! You beauty! 🇦🇰 @HDwyerRacing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 18, 2024 • Asfoora is likely to gallop only once in England before the King Charles III, with Dwyer mindful of the travel toll. 'Last year, from experience, we know she was a bit flattened by the trip, we had four weeks before her first run at Haydock and another three weeks after that to fine tune her,' Dwyer said. 'Whereas this year we haven't got that luxury … she's flying in and racing two weeks later. 'She needed the hit out, the intention was to go out there, travel for 800m and give her a push the last 100m. 'She seems to have pulled up really well from it, she's fit, it's just a matter of having an unbelievably lucky trip like we did last year, nothing went wrong and there were no setbacks.' Dwyer has all but locked in champion jockey Oisin Murphy to ride Asfoora again at Royal Ascot.
