IRISH sprinters have looked vulnerable on several occasions in recent years once top British sprinters came to town, but Arizona Blaze refused to lie down to the visiting party and posted a blistering front-running performance to win the Group 2 Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes.

A cracking second in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on his last start apparently left no ill effects on the tough and talented three-year-old, and he wasn’t for pegging back in finishing two lengths too good for Ed Walker’s Temple Stakes winner Mgheera. David Egan was positive on the Adrian Murray-trained performer and it paid off.

Sent off the 9/4 joint-favourite alongside the supplemented Rumstar (safely held in fifth), Amo Racing’s 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up is now being prepared for another crack at the American showpiece meeting later in the year.

Kia Joorabchian, whose Amo operation owns the colt in partnership with Giselle De Aguiar, said: “We've had a tough time at the Curragh but this horse deserved a big win. He's been second in a Breeders’ Cup and second in a Group 1 at Royal Ascot. It 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 very professional and has never run a bad race really. Adrian and Robson [Aguiar] have done an amazing job with him in the past two years. 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. I probably have to thank Aidan [O'Brien] for not running a horse in this race!”

He added: “This horse loves five furlongs and can go six and seven. Hopefully we'll have a lot more fun with him. I think we'll aim for the Breeders' Cup. I think he'll get a Group 1 somewhere. We haven't made any plans as to where he goes next. 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 - I'm happy that he’s actually broken my duck! This is a big victory for us.”

There was an excellent result in third for the Johnny Murtagh-trained Songhai, who earned Group 2 blacktype with a career-best effort from off the pace in the colours of Australian operation Aristia Park Bloodstock.

"I'm very happy with Songhai," said Murtagh.

"She ran well and I think five furlongs is a good trip for her. It set up really well for her today. I loved the way she finished off and Ben [Coen] was really happy with her.

"It's just important now that she can get a bit of [winning] blacktype, having been placed in listed company before this too. She could have an option upcoming at Tipperary next [in the Listed Abergwaun Stakes on August 31st]. I think the ground is important to her too; I don't feel she wants it any softer than it was today."