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Royal Ascot winner eyeing another date with King Charles with Aussie sprint star

Henry Dwyer met the monarch after training Asfoora to capture the King Charles III Stakes at Ascot and is now planning another overseas campaign

[Henry Dwyer (right): preparing for another visit to Royal Ascot with Asfoora]

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Henry Dwyer (right): preparing for another visit to Royal Ascot with Asfoora(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

An Aussie trainer is plotting a return to Royal Ascot and another meeting with the King this summer.

Henry Dwyer was introduced to the monarch as the trainer of Asfoora, the only Australian runner at last years prestigious race meeting. They met for the first time before Dwyer sent out Asfoora to run in the King Charles III Stakes, the Group 1 race over 5f.

Then they spoke a second time when the King presented the trainer with his trophy after the mare became the sixth Australian sprinter to land the historic sprint.

Dwyer, who is based in Victoria, Australia, subsequently revealed some of the details of his conversation to Aussie broadcaster Channel 9 and reckoned the King had backed his horse.

He said: I'm not a monarchist by any stretch of the imagination, we had a chat and then after the race we compared notes. I think he had a bet on it.

I said to him before the race, 'it's nice to meet you before the race Your Majesty, but I'd much rather be talking to you after the race', and he took that in the right way. He's gone and had a fiver on it or whatever, and everyone is happy.

Asfoora stayed in Britain over the summer to run in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and the Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August, without adding another victory.

Back in Australia she is being prepared for a return to action on home soil ahead of another visit to Europe.

[Oisin Murphy salutes victory on Asfoora at Royal Ascot]

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Oisin Murphy salutes victory on Asfoora at Royal Ascot(Image: PA)

Dwyer had been aiming to run Asfoora next month but the trainer revealed to Racenet that she is unlikely to appear until April due to a setback.

He has now selected two races in April for the mares comeback before attention turns to Ascot. She is unlikely to appear at Haydock, where she ran first last year.

He said: "We probably wouldn't look at doing that this year, if we run in Adelaide it's closer to Ascot, she'd be dropping back to 1000m anyway so we wouldn't need to have the miles in her legs in the warm-up runs.

"We'd kick her off at Royal Ascot, go to Goodwood again, which was the next run last year, and York again."

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