Emir of Qatar

Courage Mon Ami, the winner of the 2023 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, has been retired from racing after failing to recover sufficiently from a tibia injury. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Courage Mon Ami sported the now-familiar silks of Wathnan Racing when defeating Coltrane and Subjectivist in the Gold Cup, having been bought privately by the Emir of Qatar's burgeoning operation after his victory in a Goodwood handicap the previous month, his third win from as many starts for owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer. As well as becoming Wathnan's first...

York maiden winner The Strikin Viking (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) has been acquired by the Emir of Qatar's Wathnan Racing. Wathnan's racing advisor Richard Brown announced the news on Thursday. The G2 Railway Stakes runner-up will join the Newmarket-based Qatari trainer Hamad Al-Jehani. Bred by Tally-Ho Stud, the bay son of Asmeen (Ire) (Shamardal) was bought for 65,000gns out of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale in May. From the family of worldbeater Azamour (Ire), he made his first two starts for Middleham Park Racing and trainer Kevin Ryan. The...

Prix du Jockey Club runner-up First Look (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has been purchased by Wathnan Racing and is under consideration for next week's royal meeting, according to agent Richard Brown. The winner is likely for the G3 Hampton Court S. on Thursday, June 20. Formerly raced by Ecurie Ama Zingteam, the son of the stakes winner Bilissie (GB) (Dansili {GB}) won once in a pair of juvenile starts for Andre Fabre and has placed in a trio of group races from three appearances at three. Besides his second...

Group 3 winner Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has been purchased privately by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. She has been entered in his Wathnan Racing colours for Newmarket's G1 Falmouth S. later this month. Owned through her first four starts by Julian Richmond-Watson, the 3-year-old daughter of listed winner and dual Group 3-placed Regardez (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) won her first racecourse appearance at Salisbury at two and the G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury this spring. Unplaced in the G1 1000 Guineas, the Lawn...

Pack away your hats and spend a joyful week in jeans and trainers. Royal Ascot was fabulous, as it always is. Though we may have tipped into the meeting being padded with too many handicaps, the results throughout the five days provided plenty of great storylines, even beyond the headline-hogger that is Frankie Dettori.  Unquestionably, though, the best race anywhere in the world in the last week came at Hanshin on Sunday. In the Takarazuka Kinen, Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) ran the kind of race that few horses can...