There are races where the outcome is in doubt even after the horses have crossed the finish, and there are others where a horse looks a sure winner long before that, and so it was Friday at Epsom Downs in the Oaks where Ezeliya, moving sweetly from start to finish, scored a three-length victory.

Ezeliya, under a patient ride from Chris Hayes, appeared to be the Oaks heroine a long way from home and became trainer Dermot Weld’s first Oaks winner in a good long time. Weld, 75, won his other Oaks in 1981 with a filly named Blue Wind.

Tom Wood:
R1: 7-6-10-5
R2: 2-3-1-5
R3: 3-9-2-7
R4: 5-1-10-2 
R5: 1-2-9-6 
R6: 4-2-1-10
R7: 5-6-1-11 
R8: 4-8-7-1
R9: 2-9-6-7
R10: 3-8-1-5
R11: 9-6-2-4
BEST: R6 N4 STELLAR EXPRESS (WIN) 
VALUE: R4 N5 GRAND NOVA (EW) 
PLAY: R4 QQP 1,5,10

Shortly after Tannhauser lost his seventh consecutive group stakes in Australia in April, he was gelded.

The change worked. Tannhauser rebounded to win the Group 3 Rough Habit Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane on May 18 as a prep for Friday’s Group 1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm, also in Brisbane.

It is expected to be an eventful day at Eagle Farm for Tannhauser, even after the race.

In the hours following the $633,800 Queensland Derby at 1 1/2 miles, Tannhauser is scheduled to be sold, according to media reports in Australia.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, June 2, 2024) 

Tom Wood:

R1: 4-5-1
R2: 1-5-3-9
R3: 1-10-7-8
R4: 7-2-6-5
R5: 5-11-1-3
R6: 5-3-2-6
R7: 8-1-6-3
R8: 2-1-4-3

BEST: R7 N8 CALL ME DANDY (WIN)
VALUE: R6 N5 G LINER (EW)
PLAY: R6 QQP 2,3,5

Mark McNamara:

R1 – 4.5.2.1
R2 – 6.3.8.9
R3 – 7.1.4.10
R4 – 7.2.10.13
R5 – 5.11.1.4
R6 – 3.11.7.8
R7 – 4.1.3.6.
R8 – 2.14.4.1

Best Bet R8 2 Woodfire Bro
Longshot R2 6 Patch of Watch
Play R8 Q/QP 2.4.14

By Leo Schlink

Marching towards a seventh Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, Zac Purton hopes Triumphant Warrior can extend the Australian’s recent hot form when Danny Shum’s charge contests the second section of the Class 4 Hin Yiu Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin’s eight-race all-dirt meeting on Wednesday night (29 May).

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, May 29, 2024)