Why Dwyer is "incredibly tempted" to put Asfoora's retirement on hold

Star mare Asfoora’s future is currently unkown.

The fan favourite mare ran in Race 4 at Goodwood in England on Saturday morning and finished fourth - a race which was potentially shaping up to be her retirement run.

Speaking on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up prior to the race, the eight-year-old’s trainer, Henry Dwyer, admitted that he is “sad” that the daughter of Flying Artie’s career was likely coming to an end, but is grateful for the ride she has taken him on.

“I’m obviously sad. It's been a hell of a ride for three years,” Dwyer admitted.

“We've had three seasons over here. I've done most race meetings and tracks over here… It's been a hell of a ride.

“She's certainly done us proud, and it's not lost on me how I've been lucky to have her do that sort of stuff.

“It's just been an amazing ride and taken me places that I never thought I'd go.”

Despite holding an outside price in the market, Giddy Up host Gareth Hall revealed that he had a sneaky feeling Asfoora could bring the victory home for Australia.

In fact, Dywer revealed that if she did win, then the mare may have another race before retiring.

Hall: “She’s been a mare that has been great when it matters most, when she has her back against the wall.”

“I think she’s got this amazing ability when she knows it’s time to perform, and I reckon she will know there that this could be her last dance.

“I’ve got a feeling she might just go out on a winner because that’s the mare she’s been throughout her career.”

Dwyer: “I bloody hope so.”

“She’s running light on prize money this year, so it's been an expensive operation, so I bloody hope you're right.”

“She's been bloody amazing and it’s sad to be coming to an end, but if she did win tomorrow, then we might be able to twist (breeder El-Fahkri) Akram's arm and maybe give her one more.”

Dwyer continued by exclaiming that he believed Asfoora had a “genuine case” to win at Goodwood, referencing how he had still been happy with her form this preparation despite not running up to her usual standards.

“I've been really happy with her all preparation,” the trainer stated.

“I know her results haven't been what they should have been, but her first couple of runs she wasn't fit, she then ran a cracker at Ascot, and then last time I was just bemused by the performance – she hit her head on the gates… All I can put it down to was she was a bit dazed and confused for the race.

“You always forgive a good horse for one bad run, and that's the only time we've been disappointed with her preparation.

“We know she can still do it. I think there's a genuine case to be made to say she can win but she just needs to want to do it on the day.”

But now after the race, despite not winning, Asfoora's retirement is apparently on hold.

“I don’t normally get too excited but I had the left foot stomping there,” The Guardian reported that Dwyer said.

“Oisin (Murphy) just felt she got left without a bunny for too long. She was left by herself probably 100m too early and that probably told in the last 50m.

“I’m incredibly tempted by a return to the Nunthorpe next month but I don’t think it’s my decision. I’ll make a phone call to Akram (El-Fahkri, Asfoora’s owner) and at the end of the day, it’s his money and his horse.

“He can decide to do what he wants and I won’t advise him either way, but off (the run) you’d think there’s no reason not to go. The door is ajar.”

Fan favourite mare Asfoora is ready to be retired to stud, according to trainer Henry Dwyer, but when will that day come?

After a second-last finish in the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown in England on Saturday, Dwyer joined SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up to discuss the future of the rising seven-year-old.

When asked if he has made a decision yet, Dwyer admitted that he is going to ponder retirement potential over the next few weeks.

“No (decision has been made), we're just going to give ourselves the next couple of weeks because she's booked to go into quarantine on the 31st of July (to return to Australia), so she can't come home earlier anyway,” Dwyer stated.

The trainer continued by explaining the daughter of Flying Artie will either have one final career start in the Glorious Goodwood festival or they will pull up stumps with her.

“The race that she can run in here is that same day (as quarantine), so we've got four weeks up our sleeve,” Dwyer revealed.

“I just wanted to give her a week off in the paddock, and then just reassess after that, which gives us a chance to consider the realities of everything and make a more educated decision.

“But there's nothing wrong with her. She's pulled up super (from the Coral Charge run). There's no reason she ran poorly other than that she just didn't turn up on the day.

“That's probably showing us that she doesn't want to be there anymore, but I'm also conscious that she has done that previously over the last couple of years and then can come out and run a blinder.

“So, given there's nothing wrong with her, I'd be inclined to maybe give her one last hoorah at Goodwood, and then she can come home and go to stud.”

While one final race is a possibility for the mare, Dwyer admitted that she is now no longer consistently running well and is split on whether to give the bay a send-off race or not.

“It's getting to the stage now where she's putting in more bad ones than good ones,” the trainer admitted.

“She’s ready to go to stud for sure, but I don't think there'll be any harm in giving her a run, given she's in such good order.

“But I’m also conscious that I don't want to go to the races again (with her). It's an expensive exercise to be over here if she's not going well.

“But as I said, she can't go home anyway, so maybe we do roll the dice. We'll see.”

If Asfoora is to retire to stud, she will end her racing career with over $3.6 million accumulated in prize money, alongside 12 victories from 33 starts.