Blue Brother Leads Strong Day for Wathnan Racing at Doncaster
Mdmar – UK – Ireland
Wathnan Racing enjoyed another highly productive day on the international stage on Sunday, September 13, 2026, with Blue Brother leading the way through an impressive victory at Doncaster, while Ernst Blofeld and The Prettiest Star also secured places among the first three.
Wathnan Racing had four confirmed runners across Doncaster in Britain and the Curragh in Ireland, with three of those four runners finishing in the top three.
The highlight of the afternoon came courtesy of Blue Brother, who produced a commanding performance to land the Betfred ‘The Classic Bookmaker’ Handicap at Doncaster.
Blue Brother Delivers in Style
Trained by Hamad Al Jehani and ridden by Callum Rodriguez, Blue Brother travelled strongly behind the early leaders before beginning to make his move approaching the final two furlongs.
The Wathnan Racing runner quickened into contention before taking control inside the final furlong and then powered clear in the closing stages.
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Blue Brother crossed the line two and three-quarter lengths clear of Milford, completing the six-furlong-and-111-yard contest in 1:16.41.
The victory earned connections a first prize of £36,078 and added another important success to Blue Brother’s 2026 campaign.
The colt had previously shown a high level of form in major British contests, including a fourth-place finish at Royal Ascot, and his latest performance confirmed his ability to compete strongly in competitive sprint handicaps.
The Prettiest Star Claims Group 3 Third
Wathnan Racing also enjoyed a valuable black-type result through The Prettiest Star, who finished third in the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3) at Doncaster.
Trained by Ed Walker and also partnered by Callum Rodriguez, The Prettiest Star was held up during the early stages before gradually improving her position.
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She produced a strong finish inside the final furlong to take third place behind winner Pina Sonata and runner-up Touleen.
Only around two lengths separated The Prettiest Star from the winner, providing another encouraging performance at Group level.
The filly has been a notable addition to the Wathnan Racing team this season after previously finishing fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, and she continues to underline her quality against leading fillies.
Ernst Blofeld Goes Close in the Mallard
There was another excellent result for Wathnan Racing when Ernst Blofeld finished runner-up in the Betfred Mallard Handicap at Doncaster.
The Hamad Al Jehani-trained runner, ridden by Callum Rodriguez, was sent forward and controlled much of the race from the front.
Ernst Blofeld maintained a steady rhythm for most of the mile-and-six-furlong contest before coming under pressure approaching the final stages.
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He was eventually headed by Valedictory, but stayed on strongly to retain second place, finishing one and three-quarter lengths behind the winner.
His performance was also backed up by several impressive RaceiQ statistics. Ernst Blofeld recorded the quickest acceleration from zero to 20 miles per hour in the race at 3.09 seconds, while his average stride length of 7.27 metres was the longest among the field.
He also reached a top speed of just over 41 miles per hour, highlighting the athletic ability behind another strong Wathnan Racing performance.
Night Raider Takes on Group 1 Company at the Curragh
Wathnan Racing’s highest-level runner of the day was Night Raider, who contested the BAR 1 Betting Flying Five Stakes (Group 1) at the Curragh in Ireland.
The sprinter, trained by Karl Burke and ridden by James Doyle, was sent forward from the start and took up the early lead in the five-furlong contest.
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Night Raider remained prominent through the opening stages before coming under sustained pressure approaching the final two furlongs.
He was headed inside the final furlong and was unable to maintain his position in a fiercely competitive finish, eventually coming home 16th of 17 runners.
The Group 1 contest was won by Comanche Brave, who finished one and a quarter lengths ahead of American Affair.
Despite the result, Night Raider has already enjoyed a highly successful campaign in 2026.
He previously captured the Palace House Stakes (Group 3) at Newmarket before following up with victory in the Temple Stakes (Group 2) at Haydock, establishing himself as one of Wathnan Racing’s key sprint performers.
Three Top-Three Finishes from Four Runners
Overall, the day represented another strong showing for Wathnan Racing.
From four confirmed runners, the operation recorded:
One victory — Blue Brother
One runner-up finish — Ernst Blofeld
One third-place finish — The Prettiest Star
The results meant that three of Wathnan Racing’s four runners finished among the first three, with Doncaster proving particularly successful for the famous maroon and blue colours.
Blue Brother’s decisive victory provided the headline moment, while Ernst Blofeld’s strong runner-up effort and The Prettiest Star’s Group 3 placing further demonstrated the depth and quality within Wathnan Racing’s team.
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