Bughenaim has sights set on podium finish in St Leger on Hatteen
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Fri 11 Sep 2026
Qatari jockey Faleh Bughenaim believes his first shot at a British Classic can deliver a podium finish when he partners lively outsider Hatteen in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.
A former champion jockey and endurance rider in his homeland, he has landed the ride on Andrew Balding’s 16-1 shot, owned by Al Shaqab Racing, for the 250th running of the oldest Classic.
And Bughenaim, 36, insisted he had a live chance of finishing in the places on an improving colt who the trainer believes could go well if he gets the one-mile-six-furlong trip.
“I am very excited to ride in the Classic and it will be a big day for me,” Bughenaim told the Press Association. “I rode Hatteen on his first racecourse appearance last year, but when I rode him he was still a green horse.
“I have not ridden him this season but before the race I will give a call to Oisin (Murphy) and take some advice from him on how to ride him because he rode him last time at Goodwood.
“While I don’t like to study the race too early I have looked at it and I think he could be third or fourth.
“We always look to have the winner and although it would be a big surprise if he won, he ran a very nice race when he won the trial for the St Leger (at Doncaster in July). It looked like he liked the track and we will see.”
If the Leger trip raises a slight question mark for Hatteen, Bughenaim joked it will be no problem for him given his background in endurance riding, where he was twice the world number one ranked rider.
He added: “I started race riding in 2016 and have been champion jockey many times in Qatar, but before that I was endurance riding regularly over 160 kilometres, with our longest race over 300 km.”
Bughenaim has been in the UK for two summers and has enjoyed some notable highlights for prominent owners Wathnan Racing, most notably winning last year’s Canadian International on Silawi and this year landing a Group Three prize in Germany on Holguin.
“I have not had many rides but it is the races like this that will get you noticed,” he said. “It is the big races that are the important ones but I will return to ride here next year from May to October as well.”
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