LONDON, 13th September, 2026 (WAM) — The colt Romeo AT, carrying the colours of Wathnan Racing, was crowned champion of the thirteenth leg of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, held Saturday, 12 September 2026, at the historic Doncaster Racecourse in the United Kingdom, within the calendar of the 33rd edition of the Prestigious Cup, on the closing day of the Anglo Arab Derby and coinciding with the celebrations of the historic St Leger Festival in its 250th year.
The Cup series continued its run of success and its distinguished presence at the world’s most prominent racecourses, with the support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, reflecting H.H.’s sustained commitment to developing the Arabian horse racing industry, supporting owners and breeders in countries around the world, and encouraging them to acquire and breed the Arabian horse and to elevate its standing at the most important international races and festivals.
Doncaster Racecourse drew a considerable public turnout exceeding 50,000 spectators as part of the historic St Leger Festival, a scene that strengthened the public value of the British leg and consolidated the presence of the Prestigious Cup and the Arabian horse at one of the most historic and prominent racing festivals in the United Kingdom.
Romeo AT (by AF Al Buraq out of Tawazun, by Msyo Al Maury), owned by Wathnan Racing, delivered a powerful display under the supervision of trainer Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte and jockey Tom Marquand, carrying him to his first victory in Group 1 company and to the title of the UAE President Cup, the Anglo Arab Derby, run over 2,000 metres on turf and open to four-year-old Purebred Arabian colts and fillies, with prize money of £250,000.
The race produced strong competition among a group of the most prominent Arabian horses in this age category, before Romeo AT showed a powerful turn of foot in the closing stages, responding skilfully to the instructions of jockey Tom Marquand to move ahead of his rivals and assert his superiority deep into the straight, settling the title by a length and a half from Laffan, representing Al Wasmiyah Racing.
The champion covered the race distance in a time of 2:18.05.
French Arabian Derby champion Sab’aan Al Shahania finished third, nine lengths behind the runner-up, while Al Sharid finished fourth, Ashj’aa came home fifth, and Zayin Sentinel completed the field.
Romeo AT had already established himself among the most prominent four-year-old Purebred Arabians, having won the Group 3 Damas Prize and finished runner-up in the Group 1 French Arabian Derby at Chantilly, before returning to Doncaster to turn that French runner-up finish into a major victory, delivering his first title in Group 1 company.
The victory also gave Wathnan Racing the Doncaster leg title for the second consecutive year, following Libo de Carrere’s title in the 2025 edition, extending Wathnan’s strong presence in the Anglo Arab Derby and adding a further achievement to its record in the races of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses.
The race and the crowning of winners were attended by Saeed Al Muhairi, representative of the Higher Organising Committee of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, alongside representatives of the Arabian Horse Racing Organisation in the United Kingdom and the management of Doncaster Racecourse.
Musalam Salem Al Amri, Member of the Higher Organising Committee of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, said: ‘‘We are proud of the considerable success achieved by the Doncaster leg, and of the strong technical and competitive standard it delivered along with a public turnout exceeding 50,000 spectators within the historic St Leger Festival, embodying the prestigious standing the Prestigious Cup holds at the most historic international racecourses and events.”
He added: ‘’The continued successes of the Prestigious Cup series come as the fruit of the substantial support and considered vision of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his sustained commitment to developing the Arabian horse racing industry, supporting owners and breeders and encouraging them to acquire and breed the Arabian horse and to strengthen its presence at the most important international racecourses.”
Source: Emirates News Agency