Aga Khan Studs have had a hot winning run in Europe this year with two Classic winners carrying their colours in Epsom Oaks winner Ezeliya and French 1000 Guineas winner Rouhiya, not to mention a string of other stakes-winners and a tried horse they sold last year for €330,000 made a winning Australian debut in the Listed ATC Lord Mayor’s Cup (2000m) at Randwick.
Now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, five year-old Le Havre gelding Eliyass (Fr) was given a good grounding for his return in three barrier trials and relished the heavy ground to power clear and win by nearly two lengths with Tim Clark in the saddle.
“Tim said he just ambled up to them at the furlong and gave nothing else a chance,” said stable representative Neil Paine.
“Gai and Adrian are going to have a lot of fun with him. His form in France was sensational and with a soft track and he’s won over 2000m, we were quietly a little bit confident with him today even though we had the favourite Sir Lucan.”
Eliyass had eight starts in France for six wins and two seconds with a stakes win in the Listed Nancy Grand Prix de la Région Grand Est his best win.
He was offered by Aga Khan Stud at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for horses in training and was snapped up by Astute Bloodstock for €330,000 and runs now for a big group of owners including Seymour Bloodstock in whose colours he runs.
Eliyass is the best of three winners from Edilisa, a winning half-sister by Azamour to Group III winner Edelmira, a grand-daughter of stakes-winning blue hen Ebaziya, the dam of four Group I winners Enzeli, Estimate, Ebadiyla and Edabiya with this family also producing the Aga Khan’s 2024 Epsom Oaks winner Ezeliya.
