Wafei Delivers Qatar Thoroughbred Handicap Cup Win
Wafei and Hamaki Deliver Wathnan One-Two at Al Rayyan
Wafei delivered a commanding performance to win the Qatar International Thoroughbred Handicap Cup on Day Four of the HH The Amir Sword Festival at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha. The son of American Pharoah, ridden by Maxime Guyon, stormed clear of his rivals in the 2400 metres contest, clocking a time of 2:35.83 to provide Wathnan Racing with a memorable one-two finish as stablemate Hamaki, partnered by Christophe Soumillon, followed him home in second.
The result underlined the dominance of trainer Alban de Mieulle, who saddled both the first and second-placed runners for the powerful Wathnan Racing operation. It was a performance that further cemented the peacock blue and gold silks as the colours to follow across the Gulf racing circuit. Studio City, trained by Mohammed Al Ghazali and ridden by Soufiane Saadi, ran a creditable race in third for owner Faleh Al Ajami, while Loose Cannon and Tiding completed the first five.
The 5YO gelding Wafei has rapidly established himself as a force in Qatar since transferring from the yard of William Haggas in Britain. Previously a smart performer on the British flat circuit, where he showed promising form as a juvenile with a close second to subsequent Belmont Grade 2 winner Legend Of Time on debut at Haydock Park, Wafei has thrived since relocating to the Gulf. His record in Qatar now boasts five wins from 17 starts, and this latest triumph in a Class 2 handicap rated 90–110 represented a significant step up in grade.
Guyon Caps Brilliant Festival With Fourth Winner
The victory was a fourth of the festival for Guyon, who had already tasted success aboard Za’eer Al Shahania, Townsend Manor, and Al Faisal earlier in the four-day meeting. Speaking after the race, Guyon was full of praise for his mount. “He races very good. In the end when I asked him to, he went very well,” the jockey said.
Confidence breeds success, and there was no man more confident than Guyon on the final night of the festival. His partnership with de Mieulle has proven a potent combination throughout the Qatar season, and this latest success demonstrated the depth of talent available to the Wathnan Racing team.
The runner-up Hamaki, a 7YO entire with 20 top-three finishes from 32 career starts, ran another solid race under Soumillon. The Irish-bred, who carried joint-top weight of 60 kilograms, was widely regarded as the form pick entering the contest on the strength of substantial career earnings and a proven record of consistency. However, he had no answer to the finishing kick of his stablemate when the race developed in earnest over the final two furlongs.
The HH The Amir Sword Festival, held under the banner “Our Legacy in the Lead,” was expanded to four days for the first time in 2026, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club. The expanded programme featured 32 races across the four-day meeting, attracting elite Thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians from Qatar and beyond. French-based jockeys dominated the riding ranks throughout, with Pierre-Charles Boudot, Guyon, Soumillon, Lukas Delozier, and Saadi all riding winners during the prestigious meeting.
For Wathnan Racing, the one-two finish was another statement of intent from an operation that has quickly risen to the summit of racing both in the Gulf and on the international stage. With the Dubai World Cup carnival on the horizon, connections will be hoping Wafei can continue his upward trajectory and add further glory to an already impressive campaign.
