Asfoora© Photo Healy Racing
It has been the summer of a lifetime for Chenelle Ellis, the lucky member of Henry Dwyer’s staff chosen to accompany her “best friend” Asfoora on her European adventure.
The Australian ace and her engaging connections have captured the hearts of the racing public with their desire to enjoy every step of their star mare’s journey to the other side of the globe.
Joyous scenes following Royal Ascot glory in the King Charles III Stakes were followed by sporting drinks in defeat following a titanic battle with Big Evs in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood.
Right by her side from the very first moment tAsfoora touched down in the UK has been Ellis, her ever-loyal groom, who has escaped the Australian winter to revel in her pride and joy’s overseas triumphs and tribulations.
“It’s been absolutely amazing since we’ve brought her over here, she’s been unreal and I’m so happy and proud of her,” said Ellis.
“When Henry asked me to come over it was a no-brainer to say yes. If I wasn’t here I would be spending the winter in Ballarat in the freezing cold and wet – I would much rather be here.
“The summer here has been good, and it just makes it so much better when you have a horse who has been competitive in these great races.
“I love being here and love doing her in the morning, I come in and get to spend four or five hours with her and she’s like my best friend at the moment – we’re stuck with each other.”
She went on: “I get paid to do this and to think I grew up with ponies and looked after ponies and you had to pay to do that.
“To be over here with a horse like her has just been unreal. I’m so grateful to Henry and the owner for entrusting me with her.”
After the agonising near miss of Goodwood, Asfoora’s rematch with Big Evs at York in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes could unlock further international travel for Ellis and her equine accomplice later in the year – with both seemingly keen to extend their time away from home as long as possible.
The Curragh’s Flying Five Stakes, the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp and a mouthwatering swansong at the Breeders’ Cup have all been mooted as possibilities for the Southern Hemisphere speedster, but Ellis is keen to see Asfoora return to winning ways at York before dreaming of more stamps in her passport.
“I’m looking forward to York,” said Ellis. “We’re very happy and she’s in a very good spot going into York.
“I’m not too sure where she’ll go after York, but she could go to Ireland then back to Australia or to France and then to America.
“Either way, it would be an amazing trip. To go to Ireland would be unreal and to go to France and the US would be exactly the same.
“Whichever way she goes, I’m so grateful for her. It’s been the trip of a lifetime and you can’t turn your nose up at any of it.”
Asfoora has been based at Amy Murphy’s Southgate Stables in Newmarket since arriving in the UK and far from being the temporary tenants from overseas, both the star mare and Ellis becoming part of the furniture at the Hamilton Road setup.
It was Murphy who took care of Asfoora in the aftermath of her Royal Ascot triumph so Ellis could join the rest of the victorious connections on the winners podium, while she has been able to call on the expert assistance of Murphy’s husband and former jockey Lemos De Sousa to help put Afsoora through her paces on the Newmarket gallops on occasion.
“We’ve been very lucky to be stabled with Amy Murphy and her husband Lemos has helped and done a few gallops with her and we’ve also had Oisin in,” Ellis explained.
“I’ve done the majority of the work with her, but I’ve had some help along the way which makes a difference and we’re very grateful.”
Reflecting on that day at Ascot, where Asfoora added her name to the ever-growing list of Antipodean raiders to taste success at the Royal meeting, it is clear Ellis made memories to last a lifetime.
However, meeting royalty and leading in a Group One winner on the big stage would not be possible without the willing mare that is so often by her side.
“To go to Ascot – the experience, the atmosphere, it was just unreal,” added Ellis.
“A lot of people have asked me what the highlight of the day was, but it just has to be her winning. We wouldn’t have had the day we had if she hadn’t won.
“Just to be there was amazing, to see the King and Queen was amazing but for her to come out and win the way that she did, she was so dominant. The whole day was great.”
