Make Me King Reigns in Marketing Cup
Make Me King Denies Holloway Boy in Thrilling Doha Duel
Make Me King upstaged pre-race favourite Holloway Boy to claim the Gr.2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup at Al Rayyan Racecourse on Day 4 of the HH The Amir Sword Festival 2026, delivering a performance of real authority over 1600 metres in a time of 1:34.71.
The 6YO French-bred son of Dark Angel, trained by Hamad Al-Jehani and owned by Wathnan Racing, travelled with purpose throughout under jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot before pulling clear in the final furlong to deny the Karl Burke-trained Royal Ascot winner in decisive fashion. It was a result that underlined both the growing international ambitions of Wathnan Racing and the shrewd preparation of a horse whose career has blossomed under Al-Jehani's guidance since arriving in Qatar.
Boudot, the three-time French champion jockey and 2019 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner aboard Waldgeist, was full of praise for his mount. "He's such a great mover. We travelled well and when I asked him he flew," he said. "There is a lot of hard work that goes in."
Holloway Boy, the Karl Burke-trained gelding who famously burst onto the scene with a 40-1 debut victory in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2022, ran a gallant race in second under Sam James. With career earnings exceeding US$2 million and consistent placed form at Group level in the United Kingdom, Holloway Boy confirmed himself a high-class performer on the international stage despite coming up short on this occasion. His owners, the White and Burke families, will take plenty of encouragement from a performance that suggested further big-race opportunities lie ahead.
Wathnan Racing's Gulf Ambitions Gathering Pace
Third place went to Aemilianus, the German-bred runner trained locally by Gassim AlGhazali and ridden by Marco Casamento for owner Sheikh Mohammed Salman Al-Thani. Aemilianus ran with credit throughout and his consistency this season has been a feature of the domestic programme. Ed Dunlop's Skukuza, partnered by Christophe Soumillon, filled fourth, while George Scott's lightly raced No Retreat completed the first five under Adrie De Vries.
The victory was particularly significant for Wathnan Racing, the operation of the Emir of Qatar, which continues to expand its global footprint. Olly Tait, racing adviser for the owners, summed up the team's satisfaction: "He danced every dance. Hamad and his team have done a great job." Tait added simply, "Travelled well and won nicely."
Make Me King was purchased by Wathnan Racing for US$415,000 (€380,000) at the Arqana Autumn Sale in 2023, having previously been trained in France by André Fabre. The horse has since become a flagship performer for Al-Jehani, recording a Group Three victory in France's Prix Quincey during a successful 2024 European campaign, as well as his first winner in Britain at Newcastle. His nine career victories from 42 starts, accumulated across France, the United Kingdom, and Qatar, speak to a versatile and durable performer who has thrived under Al-Jehani's patient handling.
The Gr.2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup, which took on a new look this year as part of the expanded four-day festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, drew an international field of quality Thoroughbreds from across the United Kingdom, the Gulf, and Europe. The race was upgraded this season and served as a fitting curtain-raiser on a card that also featured the US$2.5 million HH The Amir Trophy and the US$2.5 million HH The Amir Sword.
For Al-Jehani, who began training in Qatar in 2013 with just three horses and finished the 2023–2024 season as the country's champion trainer by number of winners, the result represented another milestone in a remarkable rise. With Wathnan Racing's resources behind him and a growing string of quality performers at his disposal, the Qatari handler continues to prove himself on the biggest stages.
