Lightly raced Flying Artie mare Asfoora continued on her winning way at Flemington on Derby Day closing out the program with a popular win in the Group III VRC Furphy Sprint (1100m) as favourite.
Ridden by John Allen for Henry Dwyer, Asfoora forged clear under 58kg to win by three-quarters of a length taking her overall record to an impressive six wins from eight starts with prizemoney topping $480,000.
“She keeps on rolling along and I was looking for reasons all week why not to run her and all the negatives and when it got to 7.30 scratching time I just thought, throw caution to the wind and let her be a good horse and let her win,” said Henry Dwyer, who revealed the Group I MRC Oakleigh Plate next year would be the dream for Asfoora.
“If we go to the Oakleigh Plate and she runs as we expect her to then you can aim up and run in everything after that and obviously the good races are down the straight here and maybe this time next year we might be here.”
Bred by Noor Elaine Farm and retained to race after she was passed in when offered for sale at the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Asfoora is the first foal of placed I Am Invincible mare Golden Child, who comes from the family of Group III winner Big Chill and stakes-winners Hard Stride and Utah Saints.
Asfoora is the fourth stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s Flying Artie and the first for I Am Invincible as a broodmare sire.