His lack of consistency sometimes made him unpopular – according to Richard Edmondson, writing in the Independent, he was "called more names than the fat boy in the school playground" – and he was a notably lazy worker at home.

[5] Ezzoud's two-year-old career was brief, beginning with a short-head win in a Doncaster graduation stakes (a race open to horses who have won no more than once previously).

At Royal Ascot he produced another placed effort, finishing third to Brief Truce in the St James's Palace Stakes, ahead of Rodrigo de Triano and Arazi.

[10] He was then sent to Ireland, where he was made favourite for the Tattersalls Gold Cup (then a Group 2 Race), but after taking the lead a furlong from the finish, he was caught in the last strides and beaten a short head by George Augustus.

In the International Stakes, he was ignored by the betting public and started the race as a 28-1 outsider whilst the inexperienced three-year-old Sabrehill was made favourite.

He produced an upset, however, making a strong run in the straight he "swept past"[12] Sabrehill inside the last furlong to win the Group 1 prize by one and a half lengths.

He swerved leaving the starting-stalls, unseating his jockey Walter Swinburn, and then galloped alongside the leaders for the rest of the race, causing interference to several of his rivals, the effect being compared to "a bowling ball scattering tenpins".

In this race, Ezzoud disproved those who had labelled him ungenuine, getting the better of Muhtarram by a neck, with the rest of a top quality field including King's Theatre and Grand Lodge finishing well-beaten.

[4] In his second attempt at the Arc he produced his best performance over the mile-and-a-half distance, challenging strongly in the straight and taking fourth place in a driving finish, less than a length behind the winner Carnegie.