Gethin seeking to end year on a high for Wathnan

A European Group One success has so far proved elusive for Wathnan Racing despite another stellar campaign, but that could change when Gethin heads to Munich for the Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern.

Owen Burrows’ four-year-old was a star buy for the Emir of Qatar’s racing operation earlier this season and quickly advertised why the chequebook was opened when running Ombudsman close in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.

He would go on to contest the Coral-Eclipse before not being beaten far in the September Stakes on his most recent appearance and his team are hopeful a trip to Germany will prove fruitful for the talented son of Ghaiyyath.

Gethin (left) finished second to Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard in May.

Burrows said: “Hopefully this will suit him as it’s easier ground and he has had a nice break since his last run at Kempton.

“We’ve been very pleased with how he has been training so it will be nice to end the year on a high and I’d love to give the owners their first Group One of the year – hopefully it works well for everyone.

“What he did in the Brigadier Gerard shows what ability he does have and while I’m sure Ombudsman wasn’t 100 per cent that day, we ran him pretty close.

“It was probably a bit quick and tactically things didn’t go our way in the Eclipse, while last time at Kempton we tried something different and I was pleased how he relaxed in front, but he probably switched off too much and his brain wasn’t in racing mode.”

The German Group One was won by Bay City Roller 12 months ago, proving the catalyst for a fine 2026 for George Scott’s colt.

And Burrows is confident there is just as much ability lurking in Gethin as he prepares to tackle soft ground which is envisaged to suit.

“I’d love to think the ability is there and we just need it to click,” continued Burrows.

“It will be one of the few times he will have been back on soft ground since winning on debut at Nottingham and the last time was in France when he was just beaten but he was coming off a fair break that day.

“We think conditions will suit him, I don’t see any issues with the mile and a half and hopefully he ticks all the boxes and just needs to go get the job done.”

Sir Mark Prescott has won this event with both Albanova and Alpinista and this time relies on Consent having saddled Tiffany to finish second to Bay City Roller last year.