Oaks heroine Ezeliya retired following setback

Dermot Weld’s filly goes out on a high following Epsom success.

The Aga Khan’s Oaks-winning filly Ezeliya has been retired after meeting with a setback in training.

The three-year-old, who is by Dubawi and out of a multiple Group-race winner in Eziyra, ran four times for trainer Dermot Weld and was beaten only once.

That defeat came on her debut at Leopardstown last August, but she won next time out when making the final start of her juvenile season at Cork.

At three she began her campaign with success in the Salsabil Stakes, after which she headed to Epsom for the Oaks where she ran out an impressive three-length winner under Chris Hayes.

Injury will now bring her racing career to an end, with her ability and pedigree making her a valuable asset for the Aga Khan’s breeding programme.

Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan’s Irish studs, said: “It is obviously disappointing and we hoped she would have a lot of racing in front of her, but what she has achieved in a short amount of time has been excellent.

“We were looking forward to seeing what she could have achieved throughout the year, taking on the older horses and the colts later in the season, but it wasn’t to be and we can look forward to her as a broodmare and what she could achieve in the future.

“She goes out on a high and she has had a setback that has resulted in the retirement, but the important thing is that she is perfectly well and we can look forward to the future with her.

“What it is all about for us is retiring fillies like Ezeliya into the broodmare band and that is a real positive for us.”

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