Arizona Blaze ready to light up York for Murray team
Second at the Breeders' Cup, he has been running to a remarkably consistent level this season in a division that continues to surprise, finishing second in the Commonwealth Cup to Time For Sandals and then winning the Sapphire Stakes by a clear-cut two lengths.
'He's among the favourites and that is because he always turns up on the day – hopefully he will do again in the Nunthorpe,' said Murray.
'He's a very exciting horse, he never runs a bad race and the sprint division is wide open this year. There's no standout horse this season, all the big sprints are being won by different horses. Ours is one of the favourites, but it's wide open.
'I was talking to Roger O'Callaghan (owner of star two-year-old Lady Iman) the other day and they are going to York because of that, it could be a big field. It's exciting times ahead, for sure.'
Reflecting on a big-race double for Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing he described as 'unbelievable', Murray said: 'We expected a run from Bucanero, well we expected a big run from both of them, but we were taking on Aidan O'Brien in the Group One.
'I was always told never be afraid to run, they don't win anything stood in their stable.
'Power Blue ran very quick sectionals all the way and that is what won him it, he has a high cruising speed but isn't a horse who finds a whole lot off that speed. He can maintain a very high cruising speed.
'He'll probably go for the National Stakes now on Champions Weekend, that will be his next target I think. He's in at York in the sales race, but he's a Group One winner now.
'Bucanero was just very comfortable the whole way through the race and the further they went, the more it looked like he was going to win.
'He was never out of his comfort zone and is a very good horse.'
Murray went on to praise his assistant Robson Aguiar and his role in the victories.
'We're very lucky to have these horses and it's all down to Robson, he's sourced them and didn't really spend fortunes on them. He's a brilliant man at picking these horses,' said Murray.
'None of the good ones were that expensive in the grand scheme of things, but I think we got a little bit lucky with Bucanero as he's by Wootton Bassett and we got him just before he really took off.'
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South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Pride Of Arras returns to form with Voltigeur victory
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Value Scope: Each way horseracing tips from Steve Jones for Thursday at York on ITV
Our each way experts reckons there is plenty of value to be found among the card for day two of the Ebor Festival at York and has four selections Sit back and enjoy the Journey on the second day of York's Ebor Festival. AMAZING JOURNEY (4.45) won a Chepstow novice race before making a successful handicap debut when a smooth winner at this track in July. Both of those races were over 6f and he might well have completed the hat-trick when upped to 7f for the first time at Goodwood. He was just starting to wind up his challenge when he ran into traffic and he couldn't quicken on the testing ground when the gaps appeared. There looks to be lots of pace in the race and that should set things up for Jamie Osborne's youngster. Have 1pt each-way at 10-1. Sky Bet is paying out on six places. Earlier on the card, SONG OF THE CLYDE (2.25) is an interesting runner in the Harry's Half Million By Goffs sales race. He did well to overcome trouble coming out of the stalls to win a Chester maiden in June. His second to smart all-the-way winner Egoli at Newbury last month was another good effort and we certainly haven't seen the best of him. He will attempt to give his trainer Clive Cox his third successive victory in this valuable race. Have 1pt each-way at 11-1. Sky Bet is going five places. Free £2 Shop Bet with William Hill inside your Mirror every day of the York Ebor Festival THE big guns are being readied and loaded to fire at York's Ebor Festival which starts on Wednesday August 20, 2025- and your Mirror is bringing you everything you need to celebrate the final flourish of the racing season including FREE shop bets from William Hill. Don't miss your paper every day of the festival, from Wednesday August 20 until Saturday August 23, 2025, to get your hands on packed pullouts, free £2 shop bets, and insight from the racing team you trust. Find out more here. NORTHERN EXPRESS (3.00) has plenty of form around York and he looks overpriced in the Clipper Handicap. Like many of Michael Dods' team, he wasn't at his best earlier in the season but he gave it a good go from the front when attempting to win the competitive International Handicap for the second year running at Ascot last month. He couldn't quite see it out in a race run at a sound pace and this easier track over slightly further should allow him to get into a nice rhythm on the lead. Have 1pt each-way at 18-1. Sky Bet is offering six places. ROGUE SENSATION (5.20) is worth chancing in the final race. She ran well in a Haydock Listed race on her return to action and she seemed to appreciate the 7f distance when runner-up at Chester three weeks ago. Ed Bethell's filly didn't get the clearest of runs and this more conventional track should also help. Her trainer has really hit form in the last few weeks. Have 1pt each-way at 20-1. Most bookies are paying out on five places.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
York tips: Newsboy's picks and 1-2-3 for every race on Thursday on ITV
Our ace tipster takes you through the card for day two of the prestigious Ebor Festival, one of the racing highlights of the summer schedule There is no better way to get prepared for the historic York Ebor Festival than follow ace tipster Newsboy. Over the next four days he will be providing in-depth analysis of every race in his not-to-be-missed column. The day two Thursday card has the Yorkshire Oaks at the Group 1 feature but a disappointing field of four runners appears to provide dual Oaks winner Minnie Hauk with a straightforward task. The Sky Bet Lowther Stakes is the main support race. 1.50 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes STAYA is fancied to make it third time lucky at Group level. George Scott's daughter of Havana Grey did everything right on her debut when galloping to a cosy two-length call in a fillies' novice stakes at Yarmouth in May. That victory earned her a crack at the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, where Staya ran above her 16-1 to take fifth, beaten just under two lengths at the line, behind True Love. A drop in class to Listed company then did the trick 16 days later as my selection and Callum Shepherd justified 5-4 favouritism by a head from Military Code on what proved to be her final start at five furlongs. Moving up to six for the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes on Ascot's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes undercard last time out, Staya produced a personal best with a one-length second to Fitzella. Even that may not tell the whole story as the grey made her ground from the back of the 10-runner field while the winner made all the running. There is more to come on the fifth outing of her career and Staya is well capable of making her presence felt back at this Group 2 level. America Queen and Royal Fixation are also fillies of prodigious promise, while Argentine Tango won't go down without a fight. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 STAYA, 2 AMERICA QUEEN, 3 ARGENTINE TANGO 2.25 Harry's Half Million By Goffs ANTHELIA has already won nearly 30 times her purchase price - and she isn't done with yet. Rod Millman did yet another shrewd piece of business when he bought Supremacy's daughter for £6,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale last August - he got two-thirds of the money back when Anthelia made a winning debut at Bath in April. She defied a penalty to double up at Salisbury a month later and then completed the hat-trick when stepping up to Listed class to beat First Legion by one length for the National Stakes at Sandown Park 25 days later. A first try at today's six-furlong trip brought a first career defeat as Anthelia came home in fifth, a couple of lengths behind winner Argentine Tango, in the Listed Empress Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket on her penultimate outing. But Lewis Edmunds' partner was back in business in the Weatherbys Super Sprint over the minimum trip at Newbury last time, battling on bravely to the finish to hold Havana Hurricane by a short head. Although she suffered her only defeat at today's distance, six furlongs should not be an issue for Anthelia and another good account is on the cards. Richard Hannon's record in this race makes Super Sprint sixth Raakeb of interest, with Front Line Fury and Song Of The Clyde others to throw into the mix. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 ANTHELIA, 2 RAAKEB, 3 FRONT LINE FURY 3.00 Clipper Handicap APIARIST is worth making a beeline for. The bad news for backers of the Kevin Ryan-saddled four-year-old is that, while he has an impressive 3-6 all-weather strike-rate, Apiarist has collected just once from 15 attempts on turf. But the good news is that his sole victory on the natural surface came at York, and he also made the frame on his other three visits to the Knavesmire. Among those defeats came an excellent fourth in the three-year-old handicap, run over this course and distance, at last year's Ebor Festival when, anchored at the back of the field from a wide draw, my selection motored home to be beaten three and a half lengths at the line behind Treasure Time. Having captured handicaps at Newcastle, Chelmsford City and Southwell during the winter Apiarist didn't cut much ice when 10th in the Lincoln at Doncaster on his return. But he ran better in Royal Ascot's Buckingham Palace Handicap than his eight-of-27 finishing position might have you believe and also came home well, after being messed about at the start, to finish fourth at the Galway Festival 18 days ago. Back at York, Tom Eaves' partner is expected to reward each-way support - at the least. Bullet Point is due a change of luck and is feared most, ahead of Leadman and Old Cock. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 APIARIST, 2 BULLET POINT, 3 LEADMAN 3.35 Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks MINNIE HAUK is deservedly a hot favourite to bag a third Oaks - and Group 1 prize - on the bounce. Frankel's daughter, a €1.85m purchase as a yearling, kept it low key with a couple of starts during her two-year-old season, bettering a full-of-promise second at Cork in October with a half-length beating of Subsonic in a one-mile fillies' maiden at Leopardstown 18 days later. But Minnie Hauk's career has gone to a new level - the highest level - at three. On the back of a 200-day absence, my selection was given the chance to prove her Epsom credentials in the Listed Cheshire Oaks at Chester in May. As Aidan O'Brien mopped up one trial after another, Ryan Moore's mount put into the Ballydoyle pot with a one-length beating of Secret Of Love to earn her place in the Classic line-up. Sent off the 9-2 second choice for the Oaks - 1,000 Guineas heroine Desert Flower led the market - Minnie Hauk passed her toughest test with flying colours, getting the better of a battle with stable-companion Whirl by a neck. Her follow-up in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh last month was routine rather than spectacular as the 2-11 hotpot ground to a length-and-a-quarter supremacy from Wemightakedlongway. As the only Group 1 winner in the three-runner line-up, Minnie Hauk is a class above - and it will be the shock of the meeting if she loses. Lancashire Oaks heroine Estrange is taken for the silver medal, with Oaks eighth Qilin Queen preferred to Garden Of Eden for the final place on the podium. Free £2 Shop Bet with William Hill inside your Mirror every day of the York Ebor Festival THE big guns are being readied and loaded to fire at York's Ebor Festival which starts on Wednesday August 20, 2025- and your Mirror is bringing you everything you need to celebrate the final flourish of the racing season including FREE shop bets from William Hill. Don't miss your paper every day of the festival, from Wednesday August 20 until Saturday August 23, 2025, to get your hands on packed pullouts, free £2 shop bets, and insight from the racing team you trust. Find out more here. 4.10 British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes LADY VIVIAN didn't shine at Royal Ascot - but it's early days to be writing her off. Too green to do herself justice at Lingfield Park last November when making her racecourse debut, Ralph Beckett's daughter of Camelot finished a return-to-action second at Southwell in February before going one better at the Rolleston course a month later. That victory earned Lady Vivian a British Horseracing Authority mark of 80 and she proved ahead of that assessment at Chester's May meeting, making all the running to hold Way Of Stars by one length. Wathnan Racing then recruited my selection for Royal Ascot and Lady Vivian took on 10 rivals for the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes. Sent off at 11-1, James Doyle's partner came home a so-so seventh, unable to land a blow in the straight and beaten just over seven lengths, behind Garden Of Eden. But there are reasons to expect a more prominent showing today from a filly who is far from fully exposed. For a start, this Listed contest represents two steps down the class ladder, and the form of the Beckett stable - unusually quiet during Royal Ascot - is now red-hot with a strike-rate above one in five during the past two weeks. Rainbows Edge is the clubhouse leader in terms of form and commands respect, along with fellow royal runner Aeolian and Alice Monet. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 LADY VIVIAN, 2 RAINBOWS EDGE, 3 AEOLIAN 4.45 Mews Hotel Ossett EBF Stallions Nursery Handicap AMAZING JOURNEY did enough at the Qatar Goodwood Festival to be of definite interest this afternoon. There was plenty of encouragement to be gleaned from his debut when the son of Starspangledbanner finished fourth at Chelmsford City at the beginning of June - and he duly went three places better in a novice stakes at Chepstow 22 days later. Jamie Osborne then sent his colt for a six-furlong nursery at York, and Amazing Journey defied an opening handicap mark of 76 to beat Son Of Sarabi by half a length. But the South Downs have been the scene of many a hard-luck story and so it proved as the youngster and Osborne's daughter Saffie sought the hat-trick in a similar event over seven three weeks ago. Amazing Journey had anything but, shuffled back to ninth passing the furlong pole but flying home once in the Clare to take fifth behind Sir Albert. A 1lb nudge up the weights is neither here nor there for Amazing Journey, who still has untapped potential to draw upon as he steps onto a racecourse for the fifth time. In a field of two-year-olds whose best days lie ahead of them, Daydreama, Peel Park and Champion Island all merit a second glance. 5.20 British EBF Fillies' Handicap PERFECT PART is nearer the bottom of the betting list than the top - but don't let that put you off. Brian Ellison's daughter of Mehmas, who marked her racecourse bow with a 125-1 skinner in Beverley's Hilary Needler Stakes in June 2024, ran above her 50-1 odds when fifth to Celandine in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at this fixture 12 months ago. And she took the eye back here for a 14-runner handicap over this afternoon's seven-furlong trip in May, having to wait for a gap before coming home with gusto to take fourth to Rare Change. A 22-1 Listed-race fourth at Musselburgh two starts ago was no disgrace and Perfect Part then filled the same placing at Chester - the first three were all prominently ridden - on her latest outing. A British Horseracing Authority mark of 94 - the same as for her last visit to the Knavesmire - looks within reach for Cam Hardie's mount. In an open finale, Dance In The Storm, Maybe Not and Ormolulu are capable of having a say in proceedings. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 PERFECT PART, 2 DANCE IN THE STORM, 3 ORMOLULU
