Wathnan Racing

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)...

The undefeated Jasna's Secret (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) has been acquired by the Emir of Qatar's Wathnan Racing, co-trainer Yann Lerner revealed to Jour de Galop on Thursday. Bred by Haras de Quesnay, the daughter of Orpena (Ire) (Orpen) won over six furlongs at Deauville on debut in July, and then followed up with the 1200-metre Arqana Series Criterium d'Ete on Aug. 17 in the colours of Anja Wilde and F & O Hinderze Racing. "The filly will stay with us," Lerner, who trains with his father Carlos, told the French...

Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will round out the 2023 season in the G1 Prix du Cadran on Arc weekend, confirmed Wathnan Racing's Richard Brown. Sixth in the G1 Goodwood Cup on Aug. 1, the 4-year-old found only Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) too good last time out in York's G2 Lonsdale Cup on Aug. 25. "I thought he probably ran right up to form, as John [Gosden] said afterwards carrying the three pound penalty [for his Gold Cup win] is tough over that trip," said Brown....

Wathnan Racing is spoilt for choice when it comes to promising stayers, and it is the G2 Queen's Vase winner Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) who is the more likely runner in the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup, while Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) could wait for York or Doncaster. "They have both come out of Ascot really well, I was in there looking at them last week and I was absolutely delighted with how they look," said Richard Brown, advisor to Wathnan Racing.  "Gregory is a...

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...

Thursday at Royal Ascot saw winners for two heads of state, with King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrating their first winner at the royal meeting, followed by the victory in the Gold Cup with Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for Wathnan Racing, which it has been confirmed is owned by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Various members of Qatar's ruling family are already well established as owner-breeders on the international racing scene. The Emir's brother Sheikh Joaan is head of Al Shaqab Racing...

ASCOT, UK--Even before the action was underway on Gold Cup day, there appeared to be entertainment aplenty for the King and Queen. Sir Mark Prescott had managed to book the royal version of speedy boarding and was positioned in the first carriage with their majesties for the royal procession. This may well have been a strategic move from them in the middle of a week which requires plenty of stamina, with two processions still to come. It's a long ride by horse-drawn carriage from Windsor Great Park to Ascot Racecourse...

Burying the unhappiness of his loss on Stradivarius at what turned out to be a controversial Royal Ascot 12 months ago, Frankie Dettori sealed immortality at the track that has done so much to elevate him with a heartstopping G1 Gold Cup victory on Wathnan Racing's Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid). Capping a day of days in the history of the distinguished meeting, what amounted to a brilliant piece of placing by the Gosdens saw the untried and raw 4-year-old defy all this great...

ASCOT, UK--There's plenty of red, white and blue draped about this most patriotic of race meetings, but the Union Jack had to give way for the Star-Spangled Banner during the early rounds of Royal Ascot's Wednesday fare. First Crimson Advocate blazed a trail in the G2 Queen Mary S., and even through she was all out at the line in an attempt to repel the fast-finishing Relief Rally (Ire), her nose was down where it mattered, providing the 27 owners who had travelled from America in support with a day...