Asfoora will launch her Royal Ascot defence from barrier 10 in a field of 23 for Tuesday’s running of the prestigious Group 1 King Charles III Stakes.
Reuniting with jockey Oisin Murphy, the speedy mare has opened as a narrow $5 favourite for the 1000-metre dash, where she is aiming to etch her name in history as the first Australian sprinter to record two Royal Ascot victories.
Asfoora’s prospects were given an extra lift after her main rival, G1 Al Quoz Sprint winner Believing ($5.50), drew the inside gate. That draw could prove costly, especially after top jockey Ryan Moore earlier in the day highlighted the importance of a good barrier in the King Charles III Stakes.
Believing finished fourth behind Asfoora in last year’s edition of the race and adds to the strength of this year’s renewal, which features three of the top four from 2023. Among them is Regional, who ran second last year and will jump from gate 17 in 2024.
Regional is sharing the third line of betting at $7 with Night Raider, trained by Kieran Burke, ensuring a hotly contested sprint showdown is on the cards.
