ASFOORA FAILS TO FIRE IN THE CORAL CHARGE

By Graham Potter | Sunday, July 5, 2026

It wasn’t the result that trainer Henry Dwyer and the connections of Asfoora would have anticipated.

In fact, Asfoora’s last place finish in the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown, in which she jumped as the 9-4 favourite and finished 8.50 lengths behind the winner, is likely to have them rethinking the immediate racing future of the seven-year-old mare … who was always going to return to Australia anyway in the near future for the breeding season.

Dwyer had previously touted the possibility of Asfoora going to the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood on July 31, but that now has to be very much in question.

Asfoora was slow away in the Coral Charge … raced at the rear of the field throughout without ever looking likely to raise a challenge … and went to the line one-paced over the final 200m with jockey Oisin Murphy, quite correctly, not riding too vigorous on a horse that was already well beaten.

If the Coral Charge turns out to be Asfoora’s last race, the disappointing outcome there will in no way take anything away from her proud career which saw her claim three international Group 1 wins, striking gold in the 2024 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot (formerly the King’s Stand Stakes) … the 2025 Nunthorpe Stakes at York … and the 2025 Prix de l’Abbaye at Paris-Longchamp in France.

The Coral Charge was won by the 10/3 second favourite Rumstar, who make it back-to-back wins in the race following his Coral Charge success last year.