Ezeliya (Fr), winner of this year's Oaks for HH Aga Khan and trainer Dermot Weld, has been retired from racing. The news was announced on Saturday morning by the Aga Khan Studs.
A post on the operation's social media accounts read, “The Aga Khan Studs regret to announce that 2024 Oaks winner Ezeliya has been retired from racing. The filly suffered a setback in training and will join the broodmare band.”
In June, Ezeliya, ridden by Chris Hayes, became the first daughter of Dubawi (Ire) to win the Oaks at Epsom. She raced just twice in each of her seasons in training in Ireland, finishing fourth on debut in a Leopardstown maiden and then winning a Cork maiden over a mile at the end of September. She returned at three to win the G3 Salsabil Stakes and then went straight to the Oaks, in which she finished three lengths clear of the runner-up, Godolpin's Dance Sequence (GB), who is also by Dubawi.
Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland, said, “It is a pity to have to retire such a talented filly so early in her career but it would have been a challenge to prepare her for another race in the Autumn. Her wellbeing is the paramount concern for His Highness and Princess Zahra and she will make a wonderful addition to the broodmare band. She is by Dubawi and out of a Group winning mare who herself is out of a sister to Group 1 winners Enzeli (Ire), Estimate (Ire), Ebadiyla (Ire) and Edabiya (Ire). This has been a prolific family for the operation for many years now and we look forward to seeing what Ezaliya can achieve as a broodmare in the years to come.”
Ezeliya is the second foal of the multiple Group winner Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was also trained by Weld. Eziyra is herself out of a half-sister to two Gold Cup winners in Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), who raced for the late Queen Elizabeth II, and Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}).
Ezeliya is one of two Classic winners for the Aga Khan this season along with the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches victrix Rouhiya (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
Her trainer Dermot Weld added,”She was a beautiful filly to train. She wasn't very big but she had a lot of quality and winning the Oaks with her is very special. She is certainly one of the best fillies I have trained and she has the potential to be a highly successful broodmare.”
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