'Never a moment's doubt' - Ezeliya proves a class apart to end Dermot Weld's 43-year wait for a second Oaks triumph

Dermot Weld never flinched while watching the closing stages of the Betfred Oaks. He was given no reason to by Ezeliya, whose emphatic performance provided him with his first success in the Classic for 43 years.

The legendary trainer may well have stood in the exact same spot to watch his breakthrough Oaks winner Blue Wind score under Lester Piggott, just three days after Shergar's Derby. She had finished second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas before winning the Oaks and the Irish equivalent. 

Unlike her famous predecessor, Ezeliya did not contest an early-season Classic before lining up at Epsom. In fact, she had not even competed at the highest level. She won a Cork maiden in September before springing a minor surprise in the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes, winning at 9-1.

That meant she came in under the radar relative to the favourite Ylang Ylang but her trainer has always preferred it that way. He had complete faith in her ability but chose not to shout it from the rooftops. It was up to Ezeliya to showcase her talent and that is precisely what she did.

The daughter of Dubawi was positioned near the rear of the chasing pack behind outsider Making Dreams, who cut out all the early running. As the field swung round Tattenham Corner, Ezeliya made rapid headway down the outside under Chris Hayes, who was born six years after Weld's first victory in the Classic.

Ezelyia draws clear approaching the line in the OaksCredit: Edward Whitaker

She then pulled clear of Godolphin's Dance Sequence when asked for her effort and proved much too strong in the closing stages, winning by three lengths. In doing so, Ezeliya provided Weld with his 25th British or Irish Classic. It is hard to imagine many of them were so comfortable.

"She was in great form so I felt she had a live chance," said Weld, who won the 2016 Derby with Harzand, also in the colours of the Aga Khan. "I've got huge respect for the favourite and knew she'd be tough to beat but I always had confidence in my filly, who is very progressive.

"Chris gave her a beautiful ride. The plan was to ride her the same as at Navan, where she was dropped out last. I told Chris to take his time with her and get her into a rhythm before letting her go. I never worried about the distance with her – she's a stayer with speed."

Weld does not have too many runners at Epsom but it is always worth paying attention when he does. Of his eight runners in the Oaks, two have now won, and the track has been lucky for the trainer, extending back to 1975, when he won the Amateur Derby.

"Classic races are the pinnacle, it's what we do it for," said Weld. "You can have all the sprinters you like but give me a Classic any day of the week, that's what you'll be remembered for. Any Classic winner is special and I've been very fortunate."

Ezeliya with jockey Chris Hayes and trainer Dernot Weld after her Epsom triumphCredit: Grossick Racing (racingpost.com/photos)

The significance was certainly not lost on the trainer's son Mark, who watched on with pride while his father bounced from interview to interview, capturing every moment on his phone. "This is such a special place, you almost want to roll on the ground," he said in the winner's enclosure.

Hayes has a long way to catch the number of Classics won by Weld but he is now off the mark in Britain. "I never had a moment’s doubt, once I was approaching the furlong pole, I knew nothing was going to be able to come as quickly as she was going to finish," said the jockey. 

"It took me right to the end to pull her up – it’s probably because I was celebrating as well, but I had a good bit of petrol left. I actually said if she wins, I’ll be cool, calm and collected like a Mick Kinane, but this is unique and it was a surge of adrenaline in the last 50 yards – I had to do something. 

"It’s unbelievable to be getting to ride for these connections, and the faith they put in me, not only today but every day – it feels like I'm finally getting on proper horses, and I hope I'm able to do them justice."

Hayes has certainly found a proper horse in Ezeliya, who was introduced as 12-1 favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe by Paddy Power. On his plans for the winner, Weld said: "We'll see how she comes out of the race. She's not a big filly, and Classics always take something out of a horse, so we'll review it. She's in the Irish Oaks, but we'll decide whether we give her time off for an autumn campaign, which may involve the Arc.”

16-1 Ante-Post Pricewise winner!

Ace tipster Tom Segal tipped Oaks winner Ezeliya at 16-1 in his Ante-Post Pricewise column earlier this month!

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Racing Post Ratings: modest figure for Ezeliya but plenty of scope for improvement

Pre-race standards are a useful tool for giving context to a race and, by using them with a view to this year’s Oaks, it was clear that we weren’t dealing with a vintage renewal. 

Ylang Ylang set the form standard, but her Racing Post Rating of 110 was the lowest pre-race top-rated figure since Moth in 2013. The average pre-race RPR of the entire field this year was 101.5, the joint second-lowest figure (along with last year’s renewal) in the last ten years. 

Take the disappointing Ylang Ylang out of that equation and the average drops to 100.5, tying with the Covid-hit 2020 renewal, which was staged a month later than normal and without most of the usual trials having been run, for the lowest pre-race average in that period.

It is no surprise, then, that Ezeliya’s provisional winning RPR of 115 rates below the 10-year average of 117.8, with only Anapurna in 2019 returning a lower figure. That’s not to say her performance wasn’t impressive, however, more that the quality of her rivals, and what she had to do to beat them, fell below what would usually be expected.

Historical standards aside, it is entirely possible to be positive about Ezeliya herself, given her most progressive profile. She became the first winner of the Salsabil Stakes, a trial given a timely elevation from Listed to Group 3 status this year, to go on and win the Oaks, providing her trainer Dermot Weld with a second Oaks winner, 43 years after Blue Wind’s success in 1981, in the process. 

It was also a first Epsom Classic winner for her sire Dubawi, who also sired runner-up Dance Sequence (110). 

The way Ezeliya travelled into the race before a strong burst inside the final furlong took her clear suggests she may well have more to come, and the likelihood is she will take plenty of beating in the Irish Oaks.

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'She'll be better than today' - Ryan Moore confident Ylang Ylang will improve after Oaks disappointment 

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