Romeo At Headlines a Strong International Day for Wathnan Racing with Group 1 PA Triumph at Doncaster
Mdmar – UK
Wathnan Racing enjoyed another high-profile international day on Saturday, September 12, highlighted by a major victory for Romeo At in the Purebred Arabian ranks at Doncaster, together with notable placings in elite Thoroughbred races in Britain and Ireland. The team still has Archivist to come later in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in Canada.
The standout performance came from Romeo At, who captured the UAE President Cup – UK Arabian Derby (Group 1 PA) at Doncaster over approximately 2,000 metres. Ridden by Tom Marquand and trained in France by Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte, the four-year-old landed one of the most valuable races in Europe restricted to four-year-old Purebred Arabians. The race carried total prize money of £250,000, with £141,775 to the winner.
The success marked Romeo At’s first Group 1 PA victory, having previously finished second in the Qatar Derby des Pur-Sang Arabes de 4 Ans at Chantilly and third in the Doha Cup at Deauville this season. Earlier in May, he had won the Group 3 Prix Damas at Bordeaux.
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By AF Al Buraq out of Tawaazun, Romeo At is owned by Wathnan Racing and trained by Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte. His Doncaster success represents another major step forward after several strong efforts at the highest Arabian racing level.
Wathnan Racing also secured an excellent result in the Thoroughbred programme at Doncaster, where Flora Of Bermuda finished second in the Group 2 Park Stakes over seven furlongs. Ridden by Callum Rodriguez for trainer Andrew Balding, she finished one and three-quarter lengths behind winner More Thunder and earned £35,475 for second place.
At Leopardstown in Ireland, Fallen Angel produced another solid top-level effort, finishing third in the Group 1 Matron Stakes over a mile. Ridden by James Doyle and trained by Karl Burke, she finished behind winner Blue Bolt and runner-up City Of Memphis. Fallen Angel had won the same race in 2025.
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Meanwhile, David Of Athens, trained by Hamad Al Jehani and ridden by Qatari jockey Faleh Bughenaim, finished 12th in the PJ Towey Handicap at Doncaster over just beyond a mile and a quarter.
Wathnan Racing’s day is not yet complete, with Archivist due to contest the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in Canada over one mile. The $1 million contest will see the Hamad Al Jehani-trained runner partnered by Brazilian star Joao Moreira.
So far, Wathnan Racing’s international tally for the day features a Group 1 PA victory with Romeo At, a Group 2 runner-up finish with Flora Of Bermuda, and a Group 1 third with Fallen Angel — another strong showing across three major racing jurisdictions.
“Mdmar” website for horse racing and equestrian News
The “Mdmar” website which was Founded by Khaled Makhlouf in 2007 for horse and equestrian races is keen to cover and follow all competitions related to horses, from show jumping, Horseracing, speed and endurance races, and purebred Arabian horse beauty shows, which belong to the Arab Gulf countries at home and abroad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain
