Azazel rewards Aga Khan joint venture
Tony McEvoy paid $310,000 to secure the standout Snitzel-Allariza colt offered by Arrowfield at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.
The colt, now named Azazel, has wasted no time at all franking his trainer’s judgment, winning Saturday’s $250,000 MVRC Inglis Banner 2YO S. 1000m (R) LR at his very first start.
It was achieved in some style too, after jockey Luke Currie settled the strapping, dark grey colt well off the pace, while the favourite Luiza led the field through the turn. Currie chose to go wide and Azazel powered up quickly to take command of the race 150 metres out and win by almost two lengths from Can’t Remember and Ephesian.
Watch Azazel win the MVRC Inglis Banner (R) LR.
Tony McEvoy said, “I’ve got a really good batch of babies and we’ve bought really well at the sales. He’s been at the pointy end all the way through and just continued to impress me and step up to the plate.
“I thought he’d be beautifully placed in this race restricted to (Inglis) sale horses. He’s a big, strong horse and he’s sound. He wants to be here and wants to be two.
“I think we can go to the Maribyrnong Plate then sweeten him for the Autumn.”
The $150,000 Maribyrnong Plate G3 will be held over 1000 metres at Flemington on 5 November.
Azazel, raced by a group including well-known Melbourne owner Bruce Mathieson, is a notable success for the joint venture between Arrowfield and the Aga Khan Studs. His dam Allariza, an unraced daughter of champion French sire Linamix, was sent to Australia as a maiden mare in 2009.
Allariza has also left Alligator (by Charge Forward), placed at his only start to date, and a yearling colt by Not A Single Doubt. She has been served this Spring by Olympic Glory.
Allariza and her dam Alharir are among the mares HH The Aga Khan acquired in 2005 from the estate of leading French businessman and breeder Jean-Luc Lagardere. Alharir, a half-sister to 2001 Arc winner & top-class international performer Sakhee, is also the dam of Listed winners Albahri & Alnamara, and grand-dam of Group 3 winner Alnadana.
Azazel is the 44th lifetime stakeswinner for Snitzel, his 19th juvenile stakeswinner and his 8th stakeswinner this season. After Saturday’s racing, the son of Redoute’s Choice has taken over as Australia’s leading active sire with $2.3 million prizemoney, bettered only by the deceased Street Cry, sire of Cox Plate heroine Winx.
Azazel is the second Arrowfield graduate to win the Inglis Banner, the first of the nine-race series for 2YO Inglis sale graduates this season. The Arrowfield-bred Crack A Roadie (by Charge Forward) won the race in 2012, defeating Snitzel’s son, the subsequent Cox Plate & Australian Guineas winner Shamus Award.
