Latest news with #KingCharlesIIISteaks
Times
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Times
Forget the king as another ‘Charlie' rules for Glasgow gang at Ascot
There are places whose very names evoke the racing game; Epsom, Newmarket, Cheltenham, York and Melbourne for the Cup. But until the five-year-old speedball American Affair battled home in the King Charles III Stakes, it had not normally been associated with Glasgow. Yet American Affair is trained 15 miles south of the city by the splendidly unreconstructed Jim Goldie and bred just to the north from one of the two mares of owners John and Wendy McGrandles. 'He's probably the only horse here with a Glasgow postcode in his passport!' McGrandles said. 'I've been involved with horses since I was six. My wife is a veterinary surgeon — and we're off to the Highland Show tomorrow with sheep. This horse is the biggest winner we've had, yes. And the horse's stable name is Charlie and he's won the King Charles!'
News.com.au
16-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Royal Ascot 2025: Your complete guide to all the action as Australian horses, trainers and jockeys descend on famous carnival
Asfoora is back to defend her title but she isn't the only Australian interest at England's famous Royal Ascot carnival this week. Champion jockeys James McDonald and Mark Zahra are riding, the nation's premier trainer Ciaron Maher has a starter, Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest and runner-up Lazzat are racing, Coolmore's crack colt Storm Boy is on a redemption mission and leading Sydney bookmakers Rob Waterhouse and Warren Woodcock will be fielding at Royal Ascot. The Henry Dwyer -trained Asfoora is making a historic attempt to win a second successive Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1000m) on Tuesday night. Despite the dominance of the Aussie sprinters at Royal Ascot in the last two decades, Asfoora is trying to join trailblazer Choisir as the only dual winner at England's prestigious racing carnival. Choisir scored famous wins in the King's Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes in 2003. The King's Stand, now known as the King Charles III Stakes, has since been won by Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007), Scenic Blast (2009), Nature Strip (2022) and Asfoora last year. Black Caviar (2012) is the only other Australian-trained sprinter to win the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (formerly Golden Jubilee) although Starspangledbanner (2010) and Merchant Navy (2018) won the race after being transferred to Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien. Asfoora is the $5 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds for the feature sprint which is run at 12.40am Wednesday. Asfoora has done it!!! She wins the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot! You beauty! 🇦🇰 @HDwyerRacing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 18, 2024 • 'I feel like there is less pressure this year as she has been there and done it,'' Dwyer told the English media. 'It's an expensive trip and there's huge costs involved, but she was able to repay us last year and the money is in the bank now. 'This year is a bonus, she owes us nothing and we're just here for the experience and the fun of it. We're happy with her and hopefully she runs well. Dwyer has retained Irish jockey Oisin Murphy for Asfoora with the only difference to last year being the decision to put blinkers on the mare. 'The blinkers might add that little one per cent we need,'' the trainer said. Take a spin down the famous @FlemingtonVRC straight with Asfoora and @AitkenMitch. ðŸ'¹ @RisingSunSynd ðŸ'¨ðŸ�»â€�ðŸ'» @JarroydMartin — Henry Dwyer Racing (@HDwyerRacing) May 23, 2025 • Gollan's trip of a lifetime to Royal Ascot McDonald, Sydney's champion jockey and currently the leader in this year's World Jockey Rankings, is riding the first three days at Royal Ascot. He has two Group 1 rides on the opening day with English sprinter Aesterius in the King Charles and also American star Carl Spackler in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) which opens the Royal Ascot carnival at 11.30pm. Carl Spackler, a three-time US Group 1 winner including the Maker's Mark Stakes at Keeneland last start, is now trained by Maher and will join his Australian stables after the English summer. Zahra, Melbourne's top jockey, is having one ride at Royal Ascot and on the OTI-owned Docklands in the Queen Anne. TAB Fixed Odds betting has Carl Spackler at $13 and Docklands at $15 behind the outstanding Rosallio n who won the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last year. Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest, trained by English maestro William Haggas, is also among Queen Anne contenders and is an $11 chance. Lake Forest defeated French star Lazzat in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill last spring and the latter is early favourite at $3.60 for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) on Saturday night. Lazzat was unplaced twice at 1600m after his Golden Eagle win but burst back to top form winning a Listed race at Chantilly by more than five lengths last start. Among Lazzat's Royal Ascot rivals is former brilliant Sydney sprinter Storm Boy, who is now with Irish maestro Aidan O'Brien. Storm Boy, winner of last year's Magic Millions 2yo Classic, Skyline Stakes and San Domenico Stakes when trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, is at $5 in betting for Saturday's Royal Ascot sprint despite finishing last at his debut for the O'Brien stable at The Curragh last month. Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan has bought into Hey Tru Blue and will be at Royal Ascot to watch the colt race with plans to bring the sprinter to Australia later this year.
News.com.au
16-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Francesca Cumani reveals doubts about Asfoora's preparation for 2025 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot
International racing expert Francesca Cumani, co-host of ITV's Royal Ascot broadcast, has tipped UK sprinter Believing to spoil Australian raider Asfoora's quest for back-to-back Group 1 King Charles III Stakes. Asfoora, trained by Henry Dwyer, has a chance to become only the 13th dual winner – and just the fifth since World War II – of the King Charles III Stakes, formerly King's Stand. Star UK sprinters Soul Power (2013-14) and Blue Point (2018-19) achieved the feat most recently. Cumani said the different preparation to last year could be a factor against Asfoora. Asfoora has only been in the UK three weeks compared to six last year, which then afforded Dwyer a lead-up run at Haydock. Unfortunately, the availability of flights this year dictated travel plans. '(Asfoora) doesn't compare to the best quality sprinters Australia has had run at Royal Ascot over the years,' Cumani said. 'But we don't have that many star five furlong (1000m) sprinters here in Europe at the moment, which is why she is well-fancied in the market. 'She is well-drawn (barrier 10) and will be able to sit behind the likely speed from Washington Heights and Night Raider. 'Her trial before leaving was disappointing … the likely addition of blinkers might sharpen her up. But I'm just not sure about her this year.' One for Australia! 🇦🇰 Asfoora wins the King Charles III Stakes at Royal @Ascot! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2024 • Asfoora, if successful, would become the first horse trained outside Europe to win the same race at consecutive Royal Meetings. Outside Great Britain and Ireland, the champion French stayer Sagaro is the only horse to defend consecutive Royal Meeting triumphs with an Ascot Gold Cup treble (1975-77). Asfoora is the $5 favourite from Believing ($5.50), Night Raider ($7) and Regional ($7.50) to win the 1006m sprint at 12:40am Wednesday (AEST). ' Believing, who I think is the horse to beat, has drawn one again like last year … that wasn't the favourable ground last year,' Cumani said. '(Believing) is a worthwhile favourite and has had a very good season generally. 'She won at six furlongs (1200m) in Dubai and the stiff Ascot five furlongs is going to suit her.' Seeing is ð���ð��'ð��‹ð��ˆð��'ð��•ð��ˆð���ð��† ðŸ'€ George Boughey's speedball cuts loose in the @AziziGroup Al Quoz Sprint in the ultra-capable hands of William Buick ðŸ'¥ðŸ'¥ðŸ'¥ #DWC25 | @emirates — Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) April 5, 2025 Cumani has rated American Affair ($16) as the best outsider in the King Charles III. 'He has come up through the ranks over the last few seasons and won well at York two starts back,' Cumani said. 'He didn't have a clear run last start in the Temple Stakes at Haydock.' Carl Spackler, now trained by Ciaron Maher, in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes and Aesterius in the King Charles III Stakes. UK sprinter Mgheera
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Henry Dwyer recalls last year's Royal Ascot triumph as Australian trainer returns to defend title - and his meeting with King Charles
There will be no surprises this week for Henry Dwyer, as preparations have been meticulous. For clarity, though, the Australian trainer is talking about himself rather than Asfoora, the beautiful mare with the lightning speed, who stands beside him. 'I'd have loved etiquette lessons,' says Dwyer, the smile on his face giving an immediate indication this story will be worth hearing. 'I had a chat with the King last year, which was completely unscripted, very unannounced and I was very unaware.' Dwyer was in the paddock, having just saddled Asfoora before the King Charles III Stakes when he suddenly found himself in the presence of the Monarch. Custom dictates that a man should remove his top hat when in conversation with the King and call him 'Your Highness', but this had not been made clear. So the pair stood together, with Dwyer explaining to the King the lengths he had gone to to get Asfoora from his stables on the Bellarine Peninsula, in the state of Victoria, to Berkshire — a distance of 13,359 miles, costing in the region of £120,000, all for a race over five furlongs that would be done and dusted within a minute. 'I had no idea what to call him but we had a good chat and talked about his time in Australia as a young fellow,' Dwyer continued. 'He asked me about the horse and I said, 'It's an amazing experience meeting you, Sir, but I'd love to speak to you again after the race with the trophy'. 'He said to me, 'Let's see if we can make that happen!'.' As they spoke, one of Dwyer's friends whipped out his phone and captured the moment. Not in their wildest dreams could they have envisaged things going any better, as Asfoora burst to the front when 110 yards out and won by a length for jockey Oisin Murphy, scooping £390,093.31 for good measure. 'Afterwards he had a big smile and he said, 'I told you I could make this happen!' and it was terrific,' said Dwyer, now beaming, who confirmed he took his hat off on the podium. 'What an amazing life experience. Racing takes you all round the world and introduces you to so many new people. 'That's one of the amazing things about the sport and my job. It's not all about winning, it's about competing and meeting new people and I guess the King is not someone I ever expected to meet, but there we are!' They will meet again this week, with Asfoora back to defend her title in the prestigious Group One event, a jewel in Tuesday's opening card. No doubt the pair will discuss Reaching High, the King's heavily fancied runner in the Ascot Stakes later in the day and what a result it would be if both horses obliged. The very fact that Asfoora is here again, though, is remarkable in itself. The world is getting smaller and transporting horses is not as problematic as it once was, but the extent of the operation to get the seven-year-old from Dwyer's serene base to the biggest meeting in the world was enormous. It started with a nine-hour, 600-mile drive to Sydney before Asfoora spent the best part of two days up in the air. To see her jig-jogging around at Southgate Stables on Newmarket's Hamilton Road on Wednesday, her bay coat gleaming, you would think she had been here all year. 'She had two days off before the flight left, then it was Sydney to Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Doha, then Doha to Stansted,' Dwyer explained. 'Each leg is obviously long enough itself, with two hours sat on the tarmac in between. 'Last year we got held up for six hours clearing customs at Heathrow, but thankfully this time we didn't have that issue. She walked in here with her ears pricked, nice and bright, knowing exactly where she was. She's just a seasoned traveller now.' And she is also a seasoned winner, her Ascot success in 2024 one of 10 wins in 24 starts. Asfoora has been the horse of a lifetime for Dwyer and owner Akram El-Fakhri, who runs a taxi business in Melbourne. All being well, she will be a fixture in all the big five-furlong races across Europe this summer, daring her team to dream big again. 'As a trainer, you don't really get a chance to take it all in,' said Dwyer, who has 'a boutique yard' with 45 horses in his care. 'Normally you are going day to day, grinding and getting up, going to work and repeating it. To be honest, though, last year probably still hasn't sunk in. On the plane back on the Sunday after Ascot, I had a chance to go through all the messages and reply to people. I might have watched the replay only three times since and it is still a pinch yourself moment. 'Now here we are, trying to replicate it. She seems well — let's see what we can do.' Five things to look for at Ascot The best week of flat racing is almost here and Royal Ascot anticipate bumper crowds, with close to 300,000 expected to flock through the gates. Mail Sport identifies five key issues to follow over five fantastic days: THE ROYALS ARE REACHING HIGH The King is becoming an increasingly enthusiastic racegoer, while the Queen's passion for racing is enormous and she was instrumental in the move that had led the masterful Willie Mullins to become the first Irish trainer to saddle a Royal runner at the meeting. Mullins is the all-conquering force over jumps, but he knows how to get one ready for Ascot and Reaching High will be all the rage in Tuesday's Ascot Stakes (5pm), not least as Ryan Moore is on the ride. The last Royal winner at Ascot was Desert Hero in 2023, but they have big chances here. Rainbows Edge, if declared for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes on Wednesday (3.40pm), would be worth following. ALL HAIL NEW KING? The Gold Cup is the centre point of the meeting on Thursday (4.20pm) and while it is a blow that the magnificent Kyprios has been ruled out because of injury, his stablemate Illinois can extend Aidan O'Brien's outstanding record in the race. He is a four-year-old rippling with stamina and class. KEANE AS MUSTARD Juddmonte's green, pink and white silks are synonymous with some of the greatest horses of all time and they will now be worn by Colin Keane, the six-time Irish champion who has been made Juddmonte's first retained rider since 2014. Keane was appointed eight days ago and has made as many flights in the last week to get to know trainers in Newmarket and Lambourn. Field of Gold, his mount in the St James's Palace Stakes on Tuesday (4.20pm), looks a certainty. Qirat, in Wednesday's Royal Hunt Cup (5pm), is a good bet too. 'It's the pinnacle of our sport,' he told me. 'It's where everyone wants to go. I'm very fortunate to have some nice rides.' WATHNAN WANT WINNERS Much has happened in the two years since Wathnan, the venture of Qatar's Emir, made a spectacular entry to British racing at Royal Ascot with their first two runners — Gregory and Courage Mon Ami — both winning. They doubled their tally 12 months ago and this is the place they want to be. You will see their peacock blue and gold silks in almost every race and you can be sure there will be success. Map of Stars (Prince Of Wales's Stakes, Wednesday, 4.20pm) is a class act while Haatem (Wolferton Stakes, Tuesday, 5.35pm) could outclass his rivals. FIRE UP THE REVE Japan have had 10 runners at Ascot down the years, but never enjoyed success. That could change in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Saturday, 4.20pm) with Satono Reve. Like the Royal meeting, his work at Newmarket has been exceptional.
News.com.au
25-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Henry Dwyer cautiously optimistic about Asfoora's King Charles III Stakes defence at Royal Ascot
Trainer Henry Dwyer has conceded Royal Ascot-winning Group 1 mare Asfoora could be vulnerable in her King Charles III Stakes title defence next month. Asfoora will be floated to Sydney this week ahead of her long haul flight to Europe on Thursday. Dwyer ideally wanted Asfoora in England already but could not get a suitable flight for the $2.5m prizemoney earner and short-course specialist which stunned Royal Ascot last year. 'Last year we saw a huge improvement from Haydock (4th in a Group 2) to Ascot … we're not really going to get that opportunity this year (racing two weeks after arrival) so we're going in as we are and she probably keeps improving after that,' Dwyer said. 'Last year we went over and thought the Nunthorpe at York in late August was going to be her race and I think we cooked her a bit by that stage, she had a big preparation. 'This year with the later start for her … maybe that will be her peak this time and I think that's the right race for her, the right track for her, and acclimatization wise it would make sense she's better by then. 'I'm looking at that, we used Goodwood as a lead-up to York last year, she probably should've won at Goodwood, she was a bit unlucky not to, so that's on the radar again, and then off to York. 'Whatever happens after that is a bonus.' The astute Ballarat horseman has prepared Asfoora primarily for another European odyssey and said the experience last year helped on and off the track now 12 months on. 'It was a weird feeling last year because we were the Australian but we weren't a hyped Australian and I probably did my best to dull it down a bit because I didn't want to spruik her and then go no good, which was a real possibility,' Dwyer said. 'Whereas this year we know she measures up so it's a lot easier, we know the lay of the land … this year we know exactly what track we want to work on every morning and last year we were finding our feet, those first few weeks. 'She'll be in the same stable as she was last year, she's been to each of the race tracks, she'll be more settled because of that, I think it's a good scenario for us. 'My worry last year with Ascot was a stiff five furlongs (1000m) up the hill there, the worries were unfounded, she coped with it no dramas, it's more like an 1100m which I think is her pet distance and she handled it last year so she can probably do the same this year.'
