Dermot Weld has had to wait 43 years for another Oaks since Blue Wind’s success in 1981 but the wait was worth it as Ezeliya blew her rivals away in the colours of The Aga Khan.
There appeared to be a sprint for the early lead and that race was won by Making Dreams who opened up a clear advantage before the field closed approaching Tattenham Corner. At that point the well backed favourite Ylang Ylang was still in last and Ryan Moore was beginning to nudge her along; she was forced wide and looked ill at ease on the track.
The complexion of the race changed quickly up front with Making Dreams weakening as did the Ralph Beckett trained pair of Treasure – in the Royal colours – and You Got To Me.
Godolphin’s Dance Sequence, a disappointing ninth in the 1000 Guineas, burst through against the rail but Ezeliya was making similar progress further out on the track and the Group 3 winner readily ran down her rival, going on to win by 3 lengths.
There was a further length and a half back to 50/1 chance War Chimes in third; You Got To Me was almost four lengths further behind in fourth.
Ezeliya is 12/1 with Paddy Power for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in October.
A delighted Weld, standing with his two sons, said: “It’s a very special day. The competition is very keen nowadays. We’re very fortunate to have a filly as good as this for His Highness. She’s a beautifully mannered animal and a beautiful filly to train.
“Patience has paid dividends with her, took our time with her as a two-year-old, just gave her one run this year where she won nicely at Navan. I just said to Chris ride a similar race on her, ride her with confidence, take your time, get her into a rhythm before you let her go. I was never worried about the distance for her, she’s a stayer with speed.
“She loves to come from off the pace, this is a progressive filly. She’s very relaxed and got a beautiful ride from Chris Hayes. She was cantering down the hill then he gave her a couple of strides and let her go. We will look at the Irish Oaks or wait for an autumn campaign.
“I’ve been very fortunate. That’s my 25th English or Irish Classic and Classic races are the pinnacle, that’s what you do it for. 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.”
While returning to the winner’s enclosure, Hayes said: “She’s a queen. Very professional, strong travelling filly, she’s gorgeous. Real pretty, delicate filly to look at.
“She’s done everything right, not a step did she take wrong. I just wanted to keep momentum on her and angle her out at the top of the straight; at the turn she just leant onto the right again to go forward. I knew she’d stay, I knew she’d the class and…..brilliant.”
Later, he added: “She was the first horse loaded into the stalls; jumped, relaxed, I didn’t want to go lighting her up going up the hill. I was trapped out further than ideal, but it was a fresh strip and I was getting a lovely bit of cover off Hector (Crouch). It was like a piece of work. I angled out sooner than I wanted to, but I could feel Tom coming down my inside and I wanted rhythm, which she had, and I wanted to keep that rhythm.
“She moved forward quicker than I thought she was going to. 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. 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. It was brilliant.
“I had a nightmare here a couple of years ago on Madhmoon (the 2019 Derby second); I thought I had the race won and Seamie Heffernan came down my inside. It’s not a Derby, but it’s as good as I’m going to get! 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 am finally getting on proper horses, and I hope I am able to do them justice.
“I actually said if she wins, I’ll be real cool, calm and collected like a Mick Kinane, but this is unique and it was just a surge of adrenaline in the last 50 yards – I had to do something.”
‘I’m not sure I’ll ever have a better one’
Charlie Appleby said of Dance Sequence: “She did find the track tricky, yes – I think William was just glad to get her across the line in the end. He said we were probably outstayed, realistically, but he had to make his move when he did – the race was coming back to him and she was going forward, and I totally agree with him on all aspects there. Very pleasing run, and we’ll have some fun with her in teh summer, and more in the autumn when we know she appreciates cut in the ground.
“I think 10 furlongs might be her trip at the moment, although a mile and a half on a more sensible track might suit her as well. They’ve gone a sensible gallop out and she’s been ridden to come home and she has come home, but 10 might be her ideal trip.”
David Menusier, trainer of the third War Chimes said: “It was like winning. She’s an unbelievable filly. The last time she ran in France there was no pace, she was pulling too hard and she had no cover, and she couldn’t relax. I just draw a line through that and I always felt that she’d be better at a mile and four.
“We always felt that she could do it. The (earlier) form in France is rock solid. I entered her in the Italian Oaks next week in case the ground was too quick here, and she’s better right-handed than left-handed. She will be better right-handed, and if we hadn’t had the rain we’d have gone for to Italy next week and then waited for the Irish Oaks to go right-handed. She did lose a fair few lengths by not quite handling the track.
“I’ve got a fantastic team of three-year-olds and I might have to retire at the end of the year as I’m not sure I’ll ever have a better one.”
Ralph Beckett said of his quartet: “You Got To Me I think ran really well, certainly to par, and I was delighted with her effort. She just perhaps lacked the toe to finish it off. Forest Fairy just never really got to grips with it today.
“She was good in the prelims, but she didn’t really grasp the nettle through the race. The race was gone by the time she got out, but she’s run okay. Treasure didn’t handle the track James (Doyle) felt. She was in the right place but has obviously run below par. Seaward probably found the ground too soft.”
Ryan Moore, rider of Ylang Ylang who finished sixth, said: “I don’t think she handled the track particularly well. We were following the winner and the second, and she just didn’t ping into the straight in the way I would have expected her to.
“Maybe she had a hard race in the Guineas and maybe it’s come a bit too soon. She’ll be better than today. She didn’t finish off today, but I struggled before that.”
