Tag Archive for: Arizona Blaze

Arizona Blaze handed French target after York disappointment

/in /by

Adrian Murray has outlined plans for some of his stable stars, with Arizona Blaze set to be freshened up after Nunthorpe disappointment for a crack at the Prix de l’Abbaye, while Group One hero Power Blue is also being saved for a trans-Atlantic mission to the Breeders’ Cup later in the year.

Arizona Blaze was sent off the 9-2 favourite for York’s Group One sprint but struggled to make an impression in finishing 11th, some six lengths adrift of Australian-trained winner Asfoora.

With stablemate Bucanero Fuerte pencilled in to represent Murray and owners Amo Racing in the Curragh’s Flying Five Stakes, Arizona Blue will make the journey to France in early October.

That could pave the way for further travel and another visit to the Breeders’ Cup having gone close in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November.

Adrian Murray (right) is eyeing a trip to France with Arizona Blue
Adrian Murray (right) is eyeing a trip to France with Arizona Blue (Brian Lawless/PA)

Murray said: “We were a little bit disappointed with Arizona Blaze, he was slow out the stalls and got on the back foot and just never got into it, he wasn’t able to travel in his comfort zone.

“He’s come out of the race great though and we’re looking at going to Longchamp now for the sprint on Arc weekend. Bucanero Fuerte is going to go for the Flying Five, so we’ll freshen Arizona Blaze up and hopefully look at France.

“The ground could have been a little quick for him at York as well, so if there’s a bit of dig in the ground in France it could be to his advantage.

“He will probably go for the Breeders’ Cup as well towards the back end.”

Also with a trip to California on his agenda is Phoenix Stakes scorer Power Blue, who will now swerve stepping up in distance for the National Stakes to head Stateside in top form, where his intended target is still to be decided.

“We took him out of the National Stakes and he’s had a tough enough campaign, so we’re just going to freshen him up and look at the Breeders’ Cup for him as well,” continued Murray.

“We haven’t really decided which race yet, but he probably will be going up in trip.”

Murray has also welcomed last year’s Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me to his Rathowen base, with the headline-making 4.8million guineas buy switched from trainer Ralph Beckett by Amo supremo Kia Joorabchian.

You Got To Me heads to post at Epsom
You Got To Me heads to post at Epsom (John Walton/PA)

Seen just the once this season when disappointing at Epsom in the Coronation Cup, there are no immediate plans, but her new handler is hoping the change of scenery inspires a revival.

“It’s great to have her and she’s on a little bit of a break to freshen her up,” said Murray.

“She has an entry in the Arc, but we would have to wait and see and she will tell us where we are at with her.

“At the moment she’s enjoying her break and we’ll just be hoping that the change of scenery will bring her back to something like her best.”

Arizona Blaze sparkles in Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh

/in /by

Arizona Blaze secured the biggest victory of his career to date in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh.

Adrian Murray’s charge has run a number of excellent races in top-class company, finishing on the podium in the Norfolk Stakes, Railway Stakes, Phoenix Stakes and at the Breeders’ Cup last season, while just last month he finished a neck second to Time For Sandals in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Also a dual Group Three winner, the Amo Racing-owned Arizona Blaze was a 9-4 joint-favourite for this Group Two assignment and having been positioned on the front end from the start David Egan, he finished off strongly to deny Ed Walker’s hat-trick-seeking British raider Mgheera by two lengths.

Amo Racing supremo Kia Joorabchian said: “We’ve had a tough time at the Curragh. This guy deserved a big win, to be honest.

“He’s been second in a Breeders’ Cup and second in a Group One at Royal Ascot, this was a well-placed race for him.

“The ground was going a little bit softer than he’d like it because he likes really quick ground, but he just handled it very well.

“He’s never run a bad race really. Adrian and Robson (Aguiar) have done an amazing job with him in the past two years.

“I probably have to thank Aidan (O’Brien) for not running a horse in this race!”

Arizona Blaze (left) was a clear-cut winner
Arizona Blaze (left) was a clear-cut winner (Niall Carson/PA)

He added: “The entire team at Amo, whether it’s in the UK or here, needed this little boost. We’ve had a little bit of a tough start to the season, but it’s been good.

“You’re in sport and I’ve been in sport all my life. Unfortunately in football it happens as well. You’re going up for a big Champions League game and you get a hamstring, a knock or something goes wrong. You have to cope with those kind of moments and suck it in.

“This year we’ve had a very big investment in Freemason Lodge and a very big investment across the globe. That investment has to still show itself.

“We’ve had so many injuries this year – one after the other. We had a massive setback just recently with Ghostwriter, who unfortunately had an injury.”

Coral cut Arizona Blaze to 8-1 from 12-1 for the Nunthorpe at York, with Paddy Power 10-1 from 20-1 about the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Joorabchian said: “We haven’t made any plans, this is a good moment for us.

“Everyone always said every time I came to the Curragh we always seemed to not get a winner, so I’m happy he’s actually broken my duck.

“I think we’ll aim for the Breeders’ Cup. I think he’ll get a Group One somewhere.”