Al Asifah scorches Goodwood turf – and could enter Classic equation

Simon Milham
June 11, 2023 4:19 pm

Sky looks the limit for hugely exciting Gosden-trained filly

Al Asifah could head to the Darley Irish Oaks on the strength of her a facile success in the Listed Weatherbys/British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood on Sunday.

The Shadwell-owned Frankel filly had scored in impressive fashion on her debut in a Haydock maiden 17 days ago under Dane O’Neill and remained unbeaten with another scintillating run.

Jim Crowley sat motionless as the 4-7 favourite sauntered through the gears to trounce her six rivals by upwards of six and a half lengths in the 10-furlong contest.

Thady Gosden, who trains the three-year-old in partnership with his father, John, said: “She has always looked a classy filly.

🗣 “She’s good, she could be very good”
Al Asifah retains her unbeaten record with a dazzling display in the Listed Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes for @JimCrowley1978 and John & Thady Gosden. @weatherbysltd | @BritishEBF pic.twitter.com/gDL1uthq4L

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) June 11, 2023

“Obviously she didn’t run last year, but won in good style on her first start and she showed her class again today. Hopefully she can continue on her upward trajectory.”

A trip to the Curragh and a step up in trip for the Irish fillies’ Classic may be her next landing spot, according to Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold.

He added: “It was nice. It was fabulous. We haven’t had time to discuss it yet, and we will talk to Sheikha Hissa (Shadwell owner), but a very obvious thing, if we want to be bold, we could talk about supplementing her for the Irish Oaks.

“Timing-wise, it was just a pity she had immaturity issues, her muscle enzymes were a bit high for a while, so they have just gone steady with her and typically taken their time.

“Everything about her, to me, she looks a mile-and-a-half filly from her action.

“Jim very much got that feeling today and the very encouraging thing was he was able to go past them so quickly off a relatively slow pace.

“She is a big, tall filly. She’s (from the family of) Unfuwain. You can argue she’s more a mile-and-a-quarter pedigree, but for me, I’m pretty certain she’ll stay a mile and a half.

“That was only her second win. The important thing is to make her a stakes winner. How we do it, obviously all the options are open. We could easily stay at a mile and a quarter next time, but that’s putting off the inevitable, I think.

“In Jim’s words, she could be even better over a mile and a half. If we had 10 more days, obviously we could consider Royal Ascot.

“She could be very good. If we were able to keep her in training next year and keep her in good form, she could be a filly for all the top mile-and-a-half races next year, so we won’t want to rush her straight back in.

“So, let’s see when the dust settles what everybody feels. If the family are happy to supplement and if John Gosden thinks she is in good form, having made rapid strides in a short space of time, she could go (to the Curragh).”

Peripatetic gets a canny front-running ride from David Egan to land the Listed @WillHillRacing Tapster Stakes for @varianstable and @CPStudOfficial. pic.twitter.com/1f0B6wBfA1
— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) June 11, 2023

Meanwhile, Peripatetic was given a well-judged ride by David Egan to take the other Listed race on the card, the four-runner William Hill Tapster Stakes.

The Roger Varian-trained four-year-old, returning to the scene of a handicap success last August, had finished a close-up fourth in the Group Three Pride Stakes at Newmarket on her last run in October.

Egan gradually would up the pace from the three-furlong marker in the 12-furlong contest and having seen off Candleford, the 100-30 chance plenty to spare from the staying-on First Ruler to score by a length and a half.