Afsare

Afsare looked really good in beating Wigmore Hall in a 10-furlong conditions race at Doncaster on Saturday. Luca Cumani’s colt was always close up on the inside rail and travelled really well under Jean-Pierre Guillambert. As they came up the straight, Afsare was a little short of room on the inside, but was then switched right and moved up on the outside of Eavesdropper still on the bridle. He picked up really well when asked and sprinted clear from the staying on Wigmore Hall to win by an easy four and a half lengths, eased down at the line.

Despite winning his maiden at Newmarket on his previous run, Afsare was slightly disappointing there, he was a 4/11 shot but he made really hard work of his task and hung badly in the final furlong, in what was a fairly average maiden. This was much better from the son of Dubawi, he travelled well, came there on the bridle and was probably value for a fair bit more than the bare winning distance. The second Wigmore Hall is useful if inconsistent, he hacked up in a handicap on his first start this season and has now had two good runs out of handicap company. He could not get near Afsare here and it was a further two lengths back to Dubai Miracle in third. This was only Afsare’s third run and given the way he improved here from his previous run, it is likely that he will get even better with more experience.

It is probable that connections have always held Afsare in high regard, he was given a St James’s Palace Stakes entry, but he is also in the Hampton Court, and that could be the race for him at Royal Ascot.

5th June 2010