Henry Dwyer admits that when it comes to the yearling sales that he generally isn’t playing around the higher dollar figures often thrown about from different sides of the ring, but it is the ones without the heavier price tags that can be the surprise packets.
In his eyes, perfection doesn’t always mean ‘better’.
Three-year-old filly Asfoora was passed in for $24,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Sale, $6,000 short of the reserve.
She’ll step out at Caulfield on Wednesday in the Evergreen Turf Handicap (1100m) at benchmark 70 level in search of her third win in as many starts.
After winning on debut at Colac over 1000 metres on 18 December, Asfoora followed up with another at Stawell in a benchmark 58 handicap on 7 December.
It was strategic on Dwyer’s part which paid off.
“I think she’s a really nice filly,” Dwyer told RSN.
“We were going to go straight to town after her maiden win but I thought we’d give her another ‘kill’ in an easier race in a benchmark 58 but still, she didn’t get her own way.”
“She sat outside the leader and had one eyeballing her three-wide.”
To be ridden by Mitchell Aitken as he was aboard last start, Asfoora is $3.90 with TAB on the second line of betting with Jillette favourite at $3.60.
As this filly by Flying Artie rises in grade, her versatile mindset is an asset Dwyer has become suitably tuned-in with.
“She’s got a really good brain, she does settle and has a really good turn-of-foot,” he adds.
“She gives herself the chance to use it because she is quite casual in the first half of the race.
“Both times she’s had to get out of a bit of trouble and she’s had a good enough turn-of-foot to do that.”
Should Asfoora make it three-in-a-row at Caulfield, Dwyer is eyeing the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) on 12 February for her next foray.
“She’ll be a really good chance at Caulfield with the way she won last time and she’s run really good times as well,” he said.
“Assuming she runs up to that then she’s a really good chance and she’ll keep improving as the quality of opposition rises.”
Either way, having banked $27,500 in prizemoney to-date, Asfoora is on her way to exceeding the sales markets early expectations.
“She’s not 100 percent-correct in front for whatever reason she didn’t sell but she’s very sound and a very good filly,” Dwyer concludes.
“Another example of buyers always looking for perfection and walking past the obvious.”