Asfoora set for racing swan song in Nunthorpe Stakes

Australian sprint star Asfoora will make the final start of her outstanding career in next week’s Nunthorpe Stakes at York before returning home to begin her broodmare career.

Trainer Henry Dwyer confirmed the Group 1 feature will be the mare’s farewell after she produced her best performance of the year when finishing fourth in the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood.

The encouraging effort convinced connections to give Asfoora one final opportunity before she heads back to Australia.

“This is definitely it,” Dwyer said.

“That’s sort of a reach to go there in fact after we thought last time was it. We never nommed her for the Abbaye, which she won last year, so that’s off the table.

“We did nom her for the Flying Five in Ireland, but the way the quarantine schedule and the plane schedule works is we can run at York, but nothing left after that.”

Dwyer said the mare has come through her Goodwood run in excellent order.

“She’s bright and bouncing,” the Ballarat horseman said.

“I’ve been really happy with her all prep, and she just hasn’t done it early in the prep for whatever reason. Her run at Ascot was really good, went terrible at Sandown but with an excuse and then went great the other day.

“If she can hold that form, then there’s no reason she can’t be competitive again.”

While Asfoora’s international career is drawing to a close, Dwyer intends to maintain a presence in Britain.

“It’s seasonal; I’ll have a couple of runners over there this time next year,” Dwyer said.

“I’d just like to keep my licence rolling, I’ll have three two-year-olds over there that might make nice three-year-olds next year, that we can have an excuse to go back there for as well.”

Asfoora is the $5 second favourite with top betting apps Australia for the Nunthorpe Stakes, which will be run at York on August 21.