Dermot Weld

It was perhaps fitting last week that the inaugural edition of Winter Watch going to print should coincide with the arrival of snow across many parts of Britain, albeit we now find ourselves with one less meeting to report on after the cold snap brought terminal consequences for a certain all-weather track in Nottinghamshire. Consider yourself lucky if you spent that particular Monday evening in the warmth of home, cup of tea in hand ready to find out what this Winter Watch was all about. Meanwhile, all of those involved...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a half-sister to a Group 1-winning sire. 13.55 Punchestown, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 7fT BEYOND DREAMS (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is a rare Michael Tabor runner for the Dermot Weld stable and as a half-sister to the dual group 1-winning sire Zoustar (Aus) has plenty to...

Leopardstown staged the mile maiden on Thursday which had seen Opera Singer (Justify) prevail 12 months earlier and there was another promising winner as Juddmonte's Swelter (GB) (Kingman {GB}--Hot Snap {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) made a winning start for the Dermot Weld stable. Out of the operation's G3 Nell Gwyn Stakes-winning and G1 Nassau Stakes-placed half-sister Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the homebred was held up in rear early by Chris Hayes. Looming wide on the home turn, the 12-1 shot swooped on the experienced 11-4 favourite Valencia (Ire) (Lope...

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...

The Curragh's Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden that opened Saturday's rain-hit card is a race with a rich history and despite the failure of Ballydoyle's trio to make the frame there was no reason to believe this year's renewal was not up to scratch. Emerging best was the Aga Khan's Hazdann (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Hazmiyra {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}), who had no space to express himself in the straight when a non-representative ninth in the seven-furlong Gowran Park maiden won by Ballydoyle's The Parthenon (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) 13 days...

Jockey John Velazquez made an appearance at Naas in Ireland late on Wednesday afternoon as he attempted to take home his first winner on the Emerald Isle. The Hall of Famer, who has never ridden on Irish soil before, signed on to guide Dermot Weld trainee De Janeiro (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the third race which was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET--a six-furlong maiden for 3-year-olds and up. His mount finished off the board. Before appearing at Naas, the filly ran third at Fairyhouse for Newtown Anner Stud Farm...

After lighting up Royal Ascot, a tilt at the Melbourne Cup could be on the cards for Crystal Black (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), with Ireland's reigning champion jockey Colin Keane explaining how the gelding has provided his father "with a new lease of life" after a horror fall in 2021 almost left the trainer paralysed.  The celebrations that followed Crystal Black's victory in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Ascot went unrivalled as the Wear A Pink Ribbon Syndicate who own the former Dermot Weld-trained inmate burst into song in the...

Runner-up in this track's Listed Noblesse S. and in The Curragh's Listed Orby S. in her prior two starts this term, The Aga Khan's Sumiha (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) stepped up a notch on Friday evening to garner a breakthrough win in Cork's G3 Darley Munster Oaks. Anchored towards the back early by Chris Hayes, the Dermot Weld-trained relative of Sinndar (Ire) stayed on resolutely to collar Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) passing the two-furlong pole and register a 1 1/4-length success as the 11-8 favourite. "It was run at...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Observations features 'TDN Rising Star' Ocean of Dreams on his bid to get his season back on track as well as the debuting full-brother to four-time Group 1-winning Ghaiyyath. 15.35 Gowran, Cond, €200,000, 3yo, 9f 100yT OCEAN OF DREAMS (IRE) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) bids to get back on...

Continuing a banner year for The Aga Khan, Ezeliya (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Eziyra {Ire}, by Teofilo {Ire}) led home a one-two for her sire in Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks and provided her owner-breeder with a first success in the Epsom Classic in the process. Booking her ticket with a win in the 10-furlong G3 Salsabil S. at Navan last month, the Dermot Weld-trained relative of the G1 Gold Cup-winning half-siblings Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) was always travelling with menace held up by Chris Hayes. Admirably straightforward...

Dermot Weld's stable has yet to fire on all cylinders and, having set the ball rolling with Cork maiden winner Spoken Truth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on Friday, made its mark on the pattern-race scene when Ezeliya (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Eziyra {Ire}, by Teofilo {Ire}) swooped late to register a career high in Saturday's G3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil S. at Navan. Ezeliya, who shed maiden status at Cork in the second of two juvenile starts last September, employed patient tactics off the tempo in sixth for most of this 10-furlong...

Billed as the star attraction of the Goffs November Foal Sale, the brother to Ghaiyyath (Ire) did not disappoint when selling to powerhouse owner Zhang Yuesheng under the banner of Lucky Vega for €700,000. Bred and consigned by legendary trainer Dermot Weld's farm Springbank Way Stud, the Dubawi (Ire) colt (lot 767) boasts one of the most coveted pedigrees in the book being a brother to champion older horse and exciting first-season sire Ghaiyyath. He is out of the trainer's own blue hen Nightime (Ire), reported to be happily in...