BALLARAT sprinting mare Asfoora has run a strong fourth in her debut in Engand, just peaking on her run in the final 100m of the group two Temple Stakes (1000m).
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The Henry Dwyer-trained five-year-old ran herself into a winning position with about 150m to go, but couldn't sustain her run over the tricky uphill run to the line at Haydock Park, finishing behind winner Kerdos.
But Dwyer said he was happy with the run and would now confidently press onto the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
"She ran well, just obviously peaked on her run," Dwyer told racing.com.
"She probably looked the winner at the 150m mark, as she does on occasion but just the fact that she was first-up and we haven't done a lot with her since she's been here, given the travel and the rest of it, we just let her settle in.
"The soft ground was the added negative on top of that, and then Haydock, it's quite flat but then the last 100m is uphill, so she was always going to feel the pinch at the 100m, then she blew out and had to cope with the rising ground."
"She's pulled up having a good blow, she's pulled up healthy though, so I think we're onwards to Ascot."
While a trip to Royal Ascot is the next item on Asfoora's agenda, her trainer is more confident of her winning prospects later in the European summer.
"I think she'll still run well at Ascot, but I just think that straight, uphill track's probably not her forte, a bit of a stiffer 1000m, whereas Goodwood is a downhill 1000m and York is a perfectly flat 1000m," Dwyer said.
"I think she's a much better chance at Goodwood and York as opposed to Ascot and today where she was always going to need the run.
"All in all, a positive result, she was competitive with them, but she's probably got the most improvement to come out of anything today and she'll be around the mark at Ascot, but Goodwood and York are her go."
