Wathnan Racing have acquired leading King Edward VII Stakes contender Space Legend ahead of Royal Ascot.

The peacock blue and gold colours of the Emir of Qatar’s racing operation will be prominent next week, after a number of eyecatching purchases that compliment the likes of Gregory, who won the Queen’s Vase 12 months ago and this year goes for the Gold Cup in the absence of his Wathnan-owned stablemate Courage Mon Ami.

A son of Sea The Stars, the William Haggas-trained Space Legend was an easy Leicester maiden winner on his reappearance this season, before enduring a luckless passage when a neck second in the Cocked Hat at Goodwood.

As well as his Royal meeting engagement, the lightly-raced colt also holds an entry in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Richard Brown, racing adviser to Wathnan Racing, said: “Space Legend is a lovely progressive type, typical of the best by his sire. We’re really looking forward to seeing how he develops in the months and seasons ahead.”