Saturday 6 July 2024
The Aga Khan Studs regret to announce that 2024 Oaks winner EZELIYA has been retired from racing. The filly suffered a setback in training earlier this week, and it was decided that she would retire to Gilltown Stud to join the Aga Khan broodmare band.
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, Estimate, Ebadiyla and Edabiya. 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.”
Her trainer Dermot Weld commented: “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.”
Winner of her maiden on her second start at two, EZELIYA came back to win the Gr.3 Salsabil Stakes on her seasonal debut this year. She followed up with a three-length victory in the Gr.1 Oaks a month later to give her owner-breeder H.H. the Aga Khan a first victory in the Epsom Classic.
