ASFOORA CAN BETTER BIG EVS AGAIN

By Nick Robson

Asfoora can secure her second major victory on British soil this summer in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

Henry Dwyer’s mare may have come up short in several top-level sprints in her native Australia, but the decision to send her across the globe proved a masterstroke as she became the sixth Antipodean raider to claim top honours in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.

She is set to meet several of those who finished behind her on the Knavesmire, most notably the second, third and fourth home – Regional, Big Evs and Believing.

Asfoora and Big Evs have subsequently crossed paths again, with Big Evs turning the tables with a narrow success in Goodwood’s King George Stakes. However, Asfoora is 6lb better off at York, which is quite a swing for just a short-head defeat.

It also has to be a worry that Big Evs disappointed in the Nunthorpe 12 months ago, albeit as a two-year-old. He did record a win at York earlier in the season, but that was in much lesser company.

Dwyer is adamant York will actually suit Asfoora better than Ascot and Goodwood, and she is expected to prove him right with a second Group One success.

Vauban gets the vote in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.

The Willie Mullins-trained chestnut put Melbourne Cup disappointment behind him when runner-up to Giavellotto in the Yorkshire Cup here in May, form which was well advertised by the winner’s subsequent success in last month’s Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket.

Vauban headed to Royal Ascot as a major contender for the Gold Cup and travelled through the race like a potential winner, until his stamina ebbed away in the latter stages of that two-and-half-mile test.

His latest effort when third as a hot favourite for the Curragh Cup was a shade underwhelming, but perhaps he was still feeling the effects of his Gold Cup performance that day and he is fancied to bounce back on his return to York.

It will be fascinating to see how Andesite fares on his return from three months off the track in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes.

Plenty was expected of the Pinatubo colt on his course-and-distance debut at the Dante meeting in May and he duly obliged, finishing strongly to narrowly deny a subsequent Listed winner in Yah Mo Be There.

A freak accident in his stable denied Andesite an outing in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and trainer Karl Burke has understandably taken his time since.

His fitness obviously has to be taken on trust, but Burke would surely not be bringing him back at this level if he did not think he was ready.

Power Of Destiny looks a sound bet in the Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies’ Handicap.

The three-year-old has picked up the silver medal twice since shedding her maiden tag at Haydock in early June, most recently going down by a diminishing head on her handicap debut at Goodwood.

She looked an unlucky loser that day, given she encountered a troubled passage, and stepping up slightly in trip and only 1lb higher in the weights, the daughter of Sea The Stars can gain compensation.

Top tips for today’s UK meetings

TAB is betting on 5 UK meetings today. Here are the tips.

NEWMARKET: Race 1: 14.35 Magical Trail, Race 2: 15.10 Al Misbar, Race 3: 15.45 All
Agleam, Race 4: 16.20 Monkey Island, Race 5: 16.55 Bruno's Gold, Race 6: 17.30 Regal
Connection.

YORK: Race 1: 14.50 Insanity, Race 2: 15.25 Vauban, Race 3: 16.00 Andesite, Race 4: 16.35
ASFOORA (NAP), Race 5: 17.10 Power Of Destiny, Race 6: 17.45 Arabian Angel, Race 7: 18.20
Mount Teide.

FFOS LAS: Race 1: 15.00 It's All About You, Race 2: 15.35 Eternal Elixir, Race 3: 16.10 Calm
Waters, Race 4: 16.45 Make A Scene, Race 5: 17.20 Iconique, Race 6: 17.55 Highland Lil.

GOODWOOD: Race 1: 18.15 Calafrio, Race 2: 18.50 Queen All Star, Race 3: 19.20 Pasha,
Race 4: 19.50 Therapist, Race 5: 20.20 Miss Anya, Race 6: 20.54 Shalfa.

HAMILTON: Race 1: 18.35 Boston Run, Race 2: 19.05 Yorkshire Lady, Race 3: 19.35 The
Reverend, Race 4: 20.05 Postileo, Race 5: 20.35 Digital, Race 6: 21.09 Object.

DOUBLE: Asfoora and Power Of Destiny (York, Races 4 and 5).

For fields, race betting and more information go to www.tab4Racing.com