Asfoora

Australian native Henry Dwyer is set to ramp up his involvement in European racing having been granted a trainer's licence by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Dwyer is best known in this part of the world for his exploits with the high-class sprinter Asfoora (Flying Artie), a regular visitor to these shores in recent years. In 2024, Asfoora announced herself to European racing fans with a first top-level success in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, while last year she followed a fifth-place finish in the corresponding race...

Forever Young (Real Steel) was a surprise name among a star-studded list of 24 entries for the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The GI Breeders' Cup Classic and dual G1 Saudi Cup hero would be having his first start on turf if lining up at Ascot for trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who is now a regular presence on the world stage with victories in Dubai, America, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. Whilst Yahagi is still waiting for his first success in Britain and Ireland, he did...

Calandagan, winner of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Champion Stakes, has been named Cartier Horse of the Year. He becomes the fourth horse bred by the Aga Khan Studs to be given that honour following Daylami (1999), Dalakhani (2003) and Zarkava (2008).  By Gleneagles, who was himself the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt of 2014, Calandagan is the first Cartier winner for the operation since the passing of His Highness Aga Khan IV in February. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, the four-year-old has won three consecutive Group 1 contests...

Sunday, Curragh, post time: 16:25, COMER GROUP INTERNATIONAL IRISH ST LEGER-G1, €290,000, 3yo/up, 14fT Field: Al Qareem (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Crystal Black (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Dallas Star (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}), Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Leinster (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Queenstown (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Waldadler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Amiloc (GB) (Postponed {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Now that Al Riffa has proven his stamina for this trip with a clear-cut win in the G2 Curragh Cup, he holds obvious claims but last year's St Leger runner-up...

Ryusei Sakai is savouring a second tilt at the G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, with last year's third Shin Emperor (Siyouni) featuring among 12 horses standing their ground after Tuesday's confirmation stage. Japanese raider Shin Emperor, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, delighted connections in an early workout on Tuesday, with Sakai saying afterwards, "He worked this morning on the Curragh Racecourse with his partner horse and he felt very well, very comfortable. I was very happy with the gallop. He is a more mature and stronger horse...

Smart juvenile Lady Iman was supplemented for the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on August 22. She is the first 2-year-old to be supplemented for the York sprint since Kingsgate Native (Mujadil) in 2007. Supplemented by her connections at a cost of £40,000, the G3 Molecomb Stakes heroine is one of 19 set to take part as of Saturday. Trained by Ger Lyons, the bay will be ridden by noted lightweight rider Joe Fanning. Joining the daughter of Starman is the fellow 2-year-old filly and supplement Spicy Marg (Starspanglebanner),...

After Newmarket received a proper drenching on Thursday, Goodwood hopefuls Docklands (Massaat) and Asfoora (Flying Artie) took to the soft turf of the July Course for a spin ahead of their major-race targets next week. Partnered by Ted Durcan, the five-year-old Docklands, hero of last month's G1 Queen Anne Stakes, looked relaxed both pre- and post-work and had an easy stretch over Newmarket's undulations, making the most of a rare chance in an otherwise dry, hot summer to gallop on grass.  "It was as much a mental exercise for him...

With the exception of Ballydoyle's hot prospect 2-year-old Albert Einstein, there are no key figures missing from Royal Ascot's opening card on Tuesday and the scene is set for the first of the week's moments of truth. With the St James's Palace featuring the winners of the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and "French 2,000 Guineas" and the Queen Anne boasting all the elite milers of Europe and a bit extra, the standard has been met again in the year which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Royal Procession. From...

NEWMARKET, UK -- It's that time of year again, when Newmarket welcomes the international visitors ahead of Royal Ascot, and there are few with a more international profile than Carl Spackler. The son of Lope De Vega was bred in Ireland and has visited Newmarket before when offered at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, but the treble Grade I winner has thus far spent his entire racing career in the United States with Chad Brown. From one of America's leading trainers he now passes to the care...

Royal Ascot-winning sprinter Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) has run her last race in Britain this year and will return home to Australia, her trainer Henry Dwyer confirmed on Monday. Asfoora became the latest sprinter from the southern hemisphere to strike at Royal Ascot when claiming the King Charles III Stakes and went on to finish a narrow second in a titanic battle with Big Evs at Goodwood, before bowing out in the Nunthorpe Stakes. She was an honourable fourth on the Knavesmire as Archie Watson's Bradsell blitzed his way...

At the risk of making anyone who knows me choke on their cornflakes upon reading this, I'm rather enjoying the big sprint races this year. The rivalry between Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) now stands at honours even, though it was hard not to feel that Asfoora was a little hard done by when Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) edged left just at the moment the Australian was launching her challenge down the stands' side in the G2 King...

ASCOT, UK--A wishlist for the first day of Royal Ascot would certainly have included the hope that a Classic-winning colt would step forward and announce himself as a proper horse, a major win for an international traveller, and the sight of the inimitable Sir Mark Prescott in the winner's enclosure. Tick. Tick. Tick. We'll throw in to the mix a tearful Mark Loughnane proclaiming the 80/1 Coventry S. victory for his jockey son Billy as "the best ever moment of my life", and Sam Sangster, equally tearful as his father's...