Archie Watson

A stakes winner in England and stakes-performed in France and in Sweden, Outbox (GB) (Frankel {GB}) added a stamp from Qatar to his passport for Saturday's His Highness The Amir Trophy in Doha and walked away with the lion's share of the US$1-million in prize money on offer. The Amir Trophy is one of three races contested locall that is recognized internationally as black-type eligible. Ridden aggressively from a wide alley by Hollie Doyle, Outbox took up a pace-pressing position from second, as Qatari Gold (Lemon Drop Kid), with Tom...

Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who ran sixth in the G1 Darley July Cup on July 10, is enjoying a solid preparation in advance of a start in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on Aug. 8. Trained by Archie Watson, the 7-year-old gelding won the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. last term and was second in the June 19 G1 Diamond Jubilee S. "He's bang on course for the Maurice de Gheest now, and we're looking forward to running him there and excited about his targets later in...

Connections of Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) have lost their appeal to have the colt's disqualification from victory in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup overturned. Dragon Symbol and the American-trained filly Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) fought out a thrilling stretch duel in the six furlong contest, with Dragon Symbol crossing the wire a head the better, but the placings were reversed on account of Dragon Symbol bumping Campanelle on numerous occasions during the run and taking her off her line. Stewards on the day deemed the interference was enough...

Trainer Archie Watson has lodged an appeal with the British Horseracing Authority against the decision by stewards at Royal Ascot to disqualify Yoshiro Kubota's Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) from victory in last week's G1 Commonwealth Cup. Dragon Symbol and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) moved into a joint lead approaching the final furlong of the Commonwealth Cup, at which point Dragon Symbol, ridden by Oisin Murphy, began to drift towards the far side rail, bumping Campanelle, with Frankie Dettori aboard, as he did so. Stewards deemed that at the...

Group 1 winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who won the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. to give regular jockey Hollie Doyle her first Group 1, is being aimed at the June 19 G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot. The 7-year-old gelding, who is trained by Archie Watson for Hambleton Racing Xxxvi & Partner most recently ran fourth in the G2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands S. at The Curragh on May 22. Hambleton Racing Head Racing Manager Cosmo Charlton said,  "We were happy enough with that for his first...

Fourth behind TDN Rising Star Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) in a 10-furlong Wetherby novice Apr. 25, Apple Tree Stud's Sherbet Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid) was on top at the end of a close call for Saturday's Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial. Shadowing the leader Loving Dream (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) throughout the early stages, the 28-1 shot worked her way to the front with over a furlong remaining and dug in to prevail by 3/4 of a length from Save a Forest (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) with less than two lengths covering the...

Unbeaten on the all-weather with three wins at Wolverhampton, Newcastle and Kempton coming by a combined margin of 12 1/2 lengths since the start of March, Yoshiro Kubota's Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {GB}) made his first turf start an impressive one to earn TDN Rising Star status at Hamilton on Sunday. Sent off the 11-8 favourite to transform that prowess to the grass in the valuable MansionBet Best Odds Guaranteed EBF Tangerine Trees Conditions S., the Archie Watson-trained grey raced keenly tracking the early pace dropping back to five furlongs for the first...

Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who claimed a first Group 1 win at age six last season when upsetting the G1 British Champions Sprint S. at 16-1, could make his seasonal debut in the G3 Greenlands S. at The Curragh on May 22. The Archie Watson-trained gelding also has an option in the G2 Duke Of York S. at York on May 12. Cosmo Charlton, Head Racing Manager for owner Hambleton Racing, said, "Glen Shiel is in fantastic form. Everyone is very happy with him. He's stepped up into faster...

Trainer Archie Watson's runners will not compete at racecourses for at least two weeks after a horse was found to be positive for Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) antibodies before an intended trip to France. Watson withdrew a trio of UK runners from races on Saturday and another runner from Southwell on Sunday. Horses infected with the virus are typically asymptomatic, but can display a fever, and conjunctivitis among other symptoms. "We recently had a horse undergo routine testing for transit to France as part of the new export testing protocols,"...

Not content to rest on her laurels, rider-of-the-moment Hollie Doyle claimed a career-best success when guiding last month's G1 Haydock Sprint Cup runner-up Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) to a dramatic success in Saturday's Qipco British Champions Sprint S. at Ascot. Hambleton Racing Partnership's veteran chestnut, who had previously claimed a first pattern-race triumph in The Curragh's Aug. 8 G3 Phoenix Sprint S., broke like greased lightning from the gates and was in command under a tight hold until allowed a measure of rein at halfway. Looking certain to be...

Group winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) will resurface in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. on British Champions Day Oct. 17. A good second in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup S. at Haydock on Saturday, the chestnut won the Aug. 9 G3 Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint S. for trainer Archie Watson and Hambleton Racing. "He was a very shrewd buy at £45,000 and took another step forward at Haydock, showing he can compete against the best in Group 1 races," said Watson. "Champions Day at Ascot will be...

Winning 2-year-old filly Ocean Star (Ire) (Adaay {Ire}) has been added to the Tattersalls August Sale as a wildcard as lot 199A. A £9,000 Tattersalls Ascot yearling purchase last year, Ocean Star was runner-up twice for trainer Archie Watson before breaking her maiden by 11 lengths at Chepstow six days ago. Ocean Star is out of the unraced New Approach (Ire) mare Miss Wicklow (Ire), and Forte Dei Marmi (GB), a Grade I winner in Canada, appears under the third dam.