Wathnan Racing

The Newmarket training ranks will be boosted by the addition of leading Qatari trainer Hamad Al-Jehani, who is to set up with a "small number" of horses owned by Wathnan Racing, the operation of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.  Al-Jehani, who will continue to train in Qatar over the winter, will be based in the lower yard at Tom Clover's Kremlin House Stables. The deal has been negotiated by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock, who has been responsible for buying a number of horses for...

Adrian Keatley is exploring the idea of stepping Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) out in trip this season. A classy juvenile last year, Ballymount Boy was snapped up mid-season by Wathnan Racing after he finished second to unbeaten star Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood.  The Greenham S. and the Craven S. have been put forward as possible targets by Keatley, who reported his charge to be raring to go for the new season.  Keatley said, "James Doyle is going to come and sit...

Arqana's Autumn Sale, which began on Saturday with a session of Flat yearlings, resumed with a lively session of horses in training, headed by Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) at €380,000, one of two six-figure purchases on the day by Wathnan Racing. Sold as lot 420 by the Channel Consignment, the three-year-old has been in training with Andre Fabre and has won in both his seasons to date, as well as finishing runner-up in last year's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon. Out of the Listed-winning juvenile Miss Infinity (Ire)...

Leading flat jockey James Doyle is set to become the first retained rider for Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's Wathnan Racing beginning in January, the organisation announced on Monday. The 35-year-old had been riding as second jockey for Godolphin since January 2015 and will join Wathnan when his contract expires at the end of this year. "It is a tremendous honour for me to sign for Wathnan," Doyle said. "It's an amazing opportunity for me going forward with His Highness Sheikh Tamim's Wathnan Racing and I'm greatly looking forward...

In a little over a year, Wathnan Racing has carved out a reputation for being an emerging ownership force, and the early signs are that the operation is here for the foreseeable future after continuing its recruitment drive by spending 500,000gns on talented sprinter Dark Trooper (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale on Wednesday.  That purchase through Blandford Bloodstock's ace agent Richard Brown came after the team spent 750,000gns on He's A Monster (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Just Bring It (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) from...

As debut performances go, they don't come much better than what Alex Elliott achieved in clearing over 2 million gns across 10 horses and supplying the two most expensive lots through the ring so far at this year's Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale through Imperium Sales. This was the sporting equivalent of scoring a hat-trick in the Champions League final on your full professional debut, landing any of the majors as an amateur golfer to winning Wimbledon at the first attempt. Quite understandably, Elliott, best known for sourcing top-notch equine talent--with...

Wathnan Racing's Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), who won the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, is headed for some time off, with connections opting for a 4-year-old staying campaign, according to racing advisor Richard Brown. The John and Thady Gosden trainee won his first three starts, before running third in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. and fifth in the G1 St Leger, both times to Heart's Cry (Jpn) colt Continuous (Jpn). "I think he's going to be better on top of the ground and he still ran an admirable...

   It would be brave to call the winner of Saturday's G1 Betfred St Leger and at this stage difficult to even decide what will start favourite for a wide-open renewal of the Doncaster Classic. There is very little separating the obvious trio of Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), while even Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) could yet threaten for pole position in the market given his Royal status. Each one has yet to prove themselves at this...

Adrian Keatley is preparing Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) for a tilt at the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp. Bought by the emerging force of Wathnan Racing after finishing second to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in the G2 Richmond S., Ballymount Boy  went on to fill the runner-up spot in the G3 Acomb S. at York.  Connections are now eyeing Group 1 glory on Arc weekend and the Classic-winning trainer has reported the colt to be training well. Keatley said, "He's doing very well after York, we're very...

Nine horses have stood their ground for the Betfred St Leger, which takes place at Doncaster on Saturday. While much attention will focus on the presence of a royal runner, Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who bids to give King Charles III his first Classic success 46 years after Dunfermline (GB) won the St Leger for his late mother, there is also the matter of Frankie Dettori's last ride in a British Classic. The Italian, who is set to retire from race-riding at the end of the year,...

Native American (Ire) (Sioux Nation) repaid some of the Wathnan Racing investment by running out an authoritative winner of the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale S. to provide the operation with its first winner on Irish soil from as many attempts. Trained by Richard Fahey, Native American overcame an absence of over 100 days to land the €300,000 contest by over two lengths to Mercian Warrior (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).  The race appeared in the balance a furlong down but, when reigning Irish champion jockey Colin Keane asked the 4-5...

John and Thady Gosden could have as many as four runners, led by G2 Queen's Vase hero Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), in the Sept. 16 G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster next Saturday. The Wathnan Racing colourbearer was most recently third to St Leger rival Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York last month. He will be partnered by the retiring Frankie Dettori, who has already won the Classic six times including twice for Gosden with Shantou (Alleged) in 1996 and Logician (GB)...