Two mares of the racing brand backed by Qatar’s Amir were at the top of the podium, continuing the string of impressive performances.
Two horses owned by Wathnan Racing put on stellar performances to clinch their respective categories in the U.S. and France, continuing the surge of the brand backed by Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
RB Mary Lylah emerged victorious at the La Teste De Buch in France, whereas Heredia clinched her category at Del Mar in the U.S.
The win in the Gr.1 (PA) Liwa International Stakes was RB Mary Lylah‘s first ever top-level victory, with the five-year-old mare making up for recent muted performances in the last two starts.
On the other hand, Heredia impressed in Race 9 of the Yellow Ribbon Handicap – Grade 2, winning $126,000 (about QAR 460,000) at Del Mar. It was the six-year-old mare’s first Gr. 2 success despite having a strong track record in Gr.3 and listed categories.
Despite being a relatively new venture, Wathnan Racing has been able to create ripples with some impressive wins as well as its impressive portfolio.
Both RB Mary Lylah and Heredia are a part of the acquisition strategy centred around quality bloodstock.
Trained by Alban de Mieulle and ridden by Olivier d’Andigne, RB Mary Lylah was bred in the U.S., whereas the Juan Hernandez-ridden and H Motion-trained Heredia was bred in the U.K.
Born out of the highly successful Umm Qarn Stud Farm, Wathnan Racing is named after a desert Arabian horse, often considered a beloved stallion of the Al Thani family folklore.
“Wathnan can be translated as a ‘crown of ears’, referring to his pricked ears, the surest sign that a horse truly is your friend,” the brand’s official website reads.
After its inception in 2022, Wathnan Racing rapidly made an impact in Qatar, winning both seasons that it had run, before voyaging to the international stage.
The breakthrough moment then came around May and June in 2023, as the then-three-runners-strong managed to pull off one famous victory after another, in a sport that often consists of high degree of uncertainty.
Courage Mon Ami secured a headline-grabbing Gold Cup win, while Gregory clinched the Queen’s Vase at the Royal Ascot. The series of impressive performances had started after Isaac Shelby’s impressive display at the Poule d’Essai des Poulains earlier.
It was only after the Gold Cup success that the Amir’s ownership of the 2022-founded racing group was made public.
The culmination of continued successes, perhaps, came at the Dubai World Cup, one of the most prestigious and richest races in the calendar, in April 2025.
Wathnan’s thoroughbred roan horse Hit Show galloped to his first Group 1 win in Dubai’s Meydan, bringing home a whopping $12 million (about QAR 43.7 million) in prize money.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, then dedicated a poem to Qatar’s Amir in celebration of Hit Show’s win, acknowledging his well-deserved win, while also emphasising the strong relationship between the UAE and Qatar.
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