Sajir enjoyed his finest moment to date when striking in the feature Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville for Andre Fabre and Oisin Murphy in the colours of Prince AA Faisal.
Having landed his first two outings of 2025, including when heading to Newmarket for the Group 3 Abernant Stakes, Sajir was stepping up to Group 1 company for the first time this season and looking to return to winning ways after finding the reopposing Topgear too strong in the seven-furlong Prix du Palais-Royal at Longchamp.
Posted widest of all from stall ten, Sajir and Oisin Murphy took their time as the nine-strong field, which was depleted slightly by the late withdrawals of the Godolphin duo Shadow Of Light and Tribalist, set off headed by last year's hero Lazzat.
Jerome Reynier's recent Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes scorer Lazzat still looked to be going nicely with two furlongs to travel, but so did Sajir, who began to creep into contention for Murphy towards the outside. James Doyle soon asked Lazzat to go about his business and while he did respond to the rider's urgings, he was quickly joined by Sajir, with Murphy yet to push all the buttons on Andre Fabre's charge.
Once asked to win his race by Murphy, Sajir swiftly quickened up to put the contest to bed, striding clear in the final furlong to move one and three quarters lengths away from the battling Lazzat, with Woodshauna running on late more towards the near side to finish a further head away in third.
Winning rider Oisin Murphy, speaking to Sky Sports Racing following his third Group 1 success of the season, said: "Today he was brilliant. He relaxed very well. I was a little bit behind, but the speed was on. I followed Beauvatier, and tried not to get there too soon, because this is six-and-a-half furlongs.
"The horse has improved ten pounds at least on any form shown previously, and it's great to ride for Andre Fabre and Prince Faisal. They've had a lot of success together, there was no pressure, and the horse delivered.
"I suppose when I rode him at Newmarket at the Craven Meeting he didn't win by a very long way but maybe Newmarket wasn't his best track. At Ascot he was a bit upset in the stalls, so he came here fresh. He was exceptional today, and in the last furlong he switched to his fresh leg - he switched leads - and really powered to the line.
"I'd imagine a fast-run six and ground comes all the same to him. Andre (Fabre) might think differently, but he bends his knee like a horse that might handle juice in the ground, but it's very fast out there today and he was in cruise control for most of the race."
Ted Voute, Racing Manager to Prince AA Faisal, added: "He's a great horse and everybody's persevered. The Prince still owns a good chunk of Make Believe, and that's a Group 1 winner for Make Believe. He's now got some sort of stallion potential. The Prince has always had faith in him, so I'm delighted for all connections."
