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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Ezeliya justifies market confidence

Tue 26th Sep 2023, 16:20

Ezeliya and Chris HayesEzeliya and Chris Hayes
© Photo Healy Racing

Ezeliya justified market confidence, as she made the breakthrough on her second start in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Well-fancied on debut at Leopardstown last month, the Dermot Weld-trained Dubawi bay finished an encouraging fourth after a slow start.

Sent off the clear favourite at 11/10 this afternoon (briefly available at 7/2 in early shows), she was soon settled in mid-division by Chris Hayes and was fourth halfway.

Ridden to challenge on the outer from the two-furlong pole, the Aga Khan-owned victor edged to the front inside the final 150 yards, asserting close home to score by a length.

Newcomer Wendla (9/2) went down fighting in second, with the front-running Whisper A Prayer (18/1) another two-and-three-parts of a length back in third.

"I was impressed because everything went wrong really. She half-fluffed her lines coming out of the gates, we went no pace and it was a three-and-a-half furlongs sprint-mile," Hayes revealed.

"I was in a decent position to move forward but I had to build. She is a filly that stays well but when she missed the break, I couldn't bustle her up or do anything silly. I was impressed though and she will be a lovely filly for 10-furlongs in the spring.

"She handled that ground quite well, has a great attitude and will either go for a blacktype race or a deserved break now."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

1st
11/10Fav
Tote €2.10 €1.10
2nd
1L
9/2
€2.00
3rd
2.75L
18/1
€3.70
4th
hd
11/1
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.