By Tom Frary
Making every yard in Monday's G3 Prix Sigy at Chantilly, Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar's battle-hardened Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) proved too tough and classy for a fascinating cast. Dropping back to 5 1/2 furlongs having finished a game third to Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in Leopardstown's seven-furlong G3 Ballylinch Stud Red Rocks Stakes, the 10-3 shot was out of reach as the 9-5 favourite Polyvega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) encountered traffic attempting to come from behind.
At the line, the Adrian Murray-trained G3 Marble Hill Stakes winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up and G1 Phoenix Stakes third had 2 1/2 lengths to spare over Estepona (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), with Polyvega 3/4 of a length away in third and probably unlucky not to be a clear second.
“He's a beautiful horse who has done very well physically from two to three and is impressive now,” jockey David Egan said. “Those two runs early in the season meant that he was ready for today and I loved the way he finished off after the post–it was quite a struggle to pull him up. He has a lot of natural speed and is a Commonwealth Cup type, a real sprinter.”
Murray added, “We had it in the back of our heads that we might go for the Guineas, but after Leopardstown we kind of backed off that and said we'd go back sprinting. I certainly wouldn't rule out going back up to seven furlongs at the backend of the year, but we'll go for the Commonwealth Cup now and he might just take in the [G2] Sandy Lane Stakes. That's his 12th run today and he's never been out of the first four. He seems to improve with every run and we'll freshen him up now and we have a good idea where we're going.”
Arizona Blaze takes them all the way in the Prix Sigy at Chantilly!
The son of Sergei Prokofiev takes the drop back in trip in his stride to win impressively for @DavidEgan99 and @AMurrayRacing!🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/OHintogZl5
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 14, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Arizona Blaze's dam Liberisque (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) is a daughter of the Listed Finale Stakes winner Jane Austen (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), in turn a full-sister to the listed-placed Acapulco (Ire) from the family of the G3 Prix des Chenes-winning sire Evasive's First (Fr) (Evasive {GB}) and the G1 Derby Italiano winner Houmayoun (Fr) (Shernazar {Ire}). Liberisque's 2-year-old colt by Harry Angel (Ire) is named Ridger (Ire), while her yearling son of Blackbeard (Ire) was a 190,000gns purchase by Glenvale Stud at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
Monday, Chantilly, France
PRIX SIGY-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 4-14, 3yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.62, g/s.
1–ARIZONA BLAZE (GB), 126, c, 3, by Sergei Prokofiev
1st Dam: Liberisque (GB), by Equiano (Fr)
2nd Dam: Jane Austen (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Harasava, by Darshaan (GB)
(36,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE; £82,000 Ylg '23 GOFFUK). O-Amo Racing Ltd & Giselle De Aguiar; B-Andrew Bengough & Partners (GB); T-Adrian Murray; J-David Egan. €40,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-US & GSP-Eng, 12-4-3-4, €475,259. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Estepona (Fr), 126, c, 3, Mehmas (Ire)–Cigalera (Fr), by Elusive City. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Cuadra Mediterraneo (FR); T-Mauricio Delcher Sanchez. €16,000.
3–Polyvega (Ire), 122, f, 3, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Polydream (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). TDN Rising Star. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland. €12,000.
Margins: 2HF, 3/4, HF. Odds: 3.30, 28.00, 1.80.
Also Ran: Rayevka (Ire), Miss Lamai (Ire), Apollo Fountain (GB), King Of Light (GB), The Strikin Viking (Ire), Mehmist (Fr), Une Pointure (Fr).
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