By Tom Frary
3rd-NC, £5,000, Mdn, 3-31, 3yo, f, 8f 5y (AWT), 1:39.34, st.
+THE SKY IS BLAZING (IRE) (f, 3, Sea the Stars {Ire}–Mamonta {GB}, by Fantastic Light), a €160,000 GOFNOV foal and 240,000gns TATOCT yearling, was a touch slow from the stalls and then keen throughout the early stages held up towards rear. Looking in trouble passing halfway, the 6-4 second favourite picked up impressively when the penny dropped and after subduing Multicultural (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) approaching the furlong pole drew away despite still looking green to win by four lengths. As a full-sister to Godolphin's G2 Lancashire Oaks winner and G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix Royal Oak runner-up Endless Time (Ire), GSW-Eng, SW-Ire & MG1SP-Fr, $332,153, it is expected that a step up in trip will only bring out better in the winner who has a 2-year-old half-brother by Shamardal named Ikaab (Ire) and a yearling half-brother by Dawn Approach (Ire). From an Aga Khan dynasty, the dam is a half to the G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Mouramara (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) whose staying sons Mourayan (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}) and Mourilyan (Ire) (Desert Prince {Ire}) made their mark on the international stage courtesy of a win in the G1 Sydney Cup and a third in the G1 Irish Derby for the former and a third in the G1 Melbourne Cup for the latter. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $4,033. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Mr M J Jooste; B-Sunderland Holding Inc & Mabaki Inv. (IRE); T-William Haggas.
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