Eziyra and Pat Smullen© Photo Healy Racing
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes at Cork today could mark the turning point in the seasonal fortunes of Dermot Weld as the leading trainer recorded his first Irish Group winner this year as his Aga Khan owned Eziyra landed the Group 3 contest.
Ridden by Pat Smullen, the daughter of Teofilo, stretched clear of her rivals inside the final furlong to score a two and a half lengths win over Bloomfield
The virus which has hit Weld’s horses has been one of the talking points of the 2017 flat season and while Weld’s Zhukova did win the Man o’ War Stakes in Belmont Park in May, that top level win was the sole Group success the Melbourne Cup and Derby winning trainer has enjoyed this year.
Following Eziyra’s success, a relieved Weld stated “it was lovely to see Classic form upheld. The ground is probably as soft as she wants and that was a little concern I had. She came out of the Oaks very well and it was an excellent renewal, as I said at the time, and she has progressed to today.
“I’ll look at a race like the Group 2 Prix de Royallieu, at Longchamp on Arc weekend, which would be the logical follow on for her.
“She is very talented, is a Group winner as a two year old, is a very consistent and is very adaptable ground-wise too. She is physically not the strongest but mentally is very very strong and it was nice coming back that she won a Group race for us today.”
Weld was notably quiet, and indeed attended just once, at last week’s Galway festival and today admitted “this has been my worst year - totally. People have been critical of me but I know I’m not the only one to have had a virus. I’m also not the only vet to have had a virus, ask John Oxx and Mark Johnston. Doctors get serious illnesses too and in this game we value our health and our animals’ health.
“I’ve told everyone for six or seven weeks that we’ve had a problem and that’s it, but we’re getting out of it now.”
“It was tough (watching Galway) but Galway has changed dramatically and there’s a lot more national hunt racing there than there used to be, and also more handicaps. The ground was softer and it was a change in scene.
“You’d never know, we might be back next year and I wouldn’t write us off just yet! Thank you for your support.”
Weld later completed an across-the-card double when Zabalan won the 8.10 race at Roscommon.
