Coronation Stakes runner-up Remarquee becomes latest big-name buy for burgeoning Qatari owners Wathnan Racing

Fred Darling Stakes winner and Coronation Stakes runner-up Remarquee has become the latest high-class recruit to Wathnan Racing, the operation headed up by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. 

The daughter of Kingman has carried her breeder Julian Richmond-Watson's silks on her first four runs, the first of which resulted in a victory at Salisbury as a two-year-old last autumn. 

She started her three-year-old campaign with a cosy score in the Group 3 Fred Darling at Newbury, before bouncing back from a below-par run in the 1,000 Guineas when second to Tahiyra in the Coronation at Royal Ascot. 

The Ralph Beckett-trained filly is a general 5-1 shot for Friday's Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes.

Wathnan Racing has enjoyed good results from its initial purchases, including a big-race Royal Ascot double via Courage Mon Ami (Gold Cup) and Gregory (Queen's Vase), who like Remarquee were bought privately from owner-breeders, in their cases Anthony Oppenheimer and Philippa Cooper. 

Courage Mon Ami: Oppenheimer-bred son of Frankel sported the Emir's colours at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Qatari operation also bought Superlative and Greenham Stakes winner Isaac Shelby before his second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and fourth in the St James's Palace Stakes. They were sourced by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock. 

The Emir is a brother of Sheikh Joaan, the head of Al Shaqab Racing and Haras de Bouquetot in Normandy. Both are cousins of Sheikh Fahad, the figurehead behind Qatar Racing, whose operation stands 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko and dual hemisphere Group 1 sire Zoustar at Tweenhills Farm in Gloucestershire.

Brown said on Friday: "Olly Tait [Wathnan Racing's manager] was at Ascot as we had three runners there, and we were pretty impressed with Remarquee's run in the Coronation. The winner is a very good filly and she ran her to a length and was hampered a couple of furlongs out, so we made the approach and luckily we've been able to structure a deal for Wathnan to buy her. 

"Julian is a tremendous breeder; it's the same situation as with the horses we've bought so far in Gregory and Courage Mon Ami. Running studs is an expensive enterprise and the commercial realities are there for any stud owner to see."

On the prospects of looking longer term at a breeding operation, Brown added: "Olly will guide us on that and he's getting guidance from afar. At the moment we'll hopefully be able to enjoy Remarquee racing for Wathnan for the next couple of years."

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