- Wathnan Racing will be doubly represented on Saturday at Doncaster
- Midnight Gun, ridden by James Doyle, carries the most confidence
- Native Warrior is not without a chance in a bumper field of 22
For those who love Flat racing, it is the point of the year when you can dare to dream.
That is certainly true for Wathnan Racing — the venture of Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar — who have made a considerable impact in a short space of time but are ferociously ambitious to be big players.
Their peacock-blue and gold silks have become a regular sight in big races, so it is no surprise they will be doubly represented on Saturday at Doncaster in the William Hill Lincoln handicap, the cavalry charge over a straight mile that has a first prize of £77,130.
Midnight Gun, ridden by James Doyle for trainer Hamad Al Jehani, carries most confidence but Native Warrior, who comes from Karl Burke’s stable and has the assistance of Kieran Shoemark, is not without a chance in a bumper field of 22.
‘I reckon there will be 15 in the field who think they have a chance,’ Richard Brown, Wathnan’s racing advisor, tells Mail Sport. ‘But we are among them and isn’t this what it’s about? Hamad is very happy with Midnight Gun and he certainly has the pedigree (his father, Kingman, was a champion miler, his mother, Sky Lantern, won the 1,000 Guineas). We are looking forward to seeing what happens.’
That last sentence, however, is not just based around Monday.
Midnight Gun carries most confidence coming into the William Hill Lincoln handicap
The William Hill Lincoln handicap takes place at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday
The coming months will be revealing for an operation who have not been afraid to buy
top-quality horses and some handsome dividends were reaped last season. Haatem, one of their four Royal Ascot winners, has the potential to be a flagbearer for Wathnan and the colt, in training with Richard Hannon, is being prepared for a return to action in the Sandown Mile next month.
Kind Of Blue, meanwhile, was a thrilling winner of the QIPCO Champions Sprint at Ascot last October and has remained in training with James Fanshawe.
Other horses that lead to Brown becoming animated are Courage Mon Ami, the 2023 Ascot Gold Cup winner who is on the comeback trail after injury, and Opportunity, who has an entry for the Epsom Derby and is trained by William Haggas.
‘Haatem looks fantastic,’ Brown enthuses. ‘Kind Of Blue is also doing well and is with the master for developing this type of horse. If you can’t dream now, when can you?’