Wathnan Racing adds highly regarded juvenile to stable

York maiden winner The Strikin Viking, who finished runner-up in the Group 2 Railway Stakes behind Henri Matisse, has been purchased by Wathnan Racing. 

The son of Inns Of Court, named by Manchester City fans Middleham Park after the club's prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, will relocate to the Newmarket stable of Hamad Al-Jehani. 

The juvenile colt's two starts to date have come for the Kevin Ryan stable, The Strikin Viking comfortably winning a York maiden on his debut before his fine effort at the Curragh in stakes company last month.

Richard Brown, Wathnan's European racing adviser, said: "Kevin Ryan and his team have done a very impressive job with The Strikin Viking and Kevin and Tom and Tim Palin of Middleham Racing have been a pleasure to deal with. 

"Hamad's got off to an outstanding start in Newmarket with just a handful of horses and Wathnan is keen to support him with some more firepower. I'm sure The Strikin Viking will give Wathnan lots of fun over the months ahead."

Wathnan Racing, which is headed up by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, burst onto the European racing scene at Royal Ascot last summer when winning the Gold Cup with Courage Mon Ami and Queen's Vase with Gregory.

Their peacock blue and old gold silks have since become some of the most familiar on the racecourse, and the team enjoyed even more success at Royal Ascot this year, striking with Shareholder (Norfolk), Leovanni (Queen Mary), Haatem (Jersey) and English Oak (Buckingham Palace).

The operation has had 16 winners from 82 runners in Britain this year.

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