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.