The horse racing world lost a legend in Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum

The horse racing world lost a legend in Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum

The Deputy Ruler of Dubai was also one of the most influential men in the history of horse racing, beloved by those who worked with him

Few people in the history of horse racing could claim to have influenced the sport as much as HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the UAE’s Minister of Finance and Industry, who passed away on Wednesday, has, for the last 40 years, been one of the pillars of the horse racing world globally and the development of Dubai’s racing community.

In 1981, Sheikh Hamdan established his first racing stable in the United Kingdom, Shadwell Racing, which has over time become one of the most successful names in the history of the sport.

“The late owner and breeder was pivotal in the way he swept up the sales rings with multimillion dollar purchases around the globe. Many of these intelligent acquisitions were destined to perform for him on the racetrack and later as prized stallions at his notable Shadwell Farm operations,” Jon Ivan-Duke, a racing expert based in Dubai, tells Esquire Middle East.

Sheikh Hamdan was far more than just a silent partner behind the scenes, however. He was an icon to himself, and the image that he created of Shadwell Racing become iconic with him.

“To any racing follower, his famous cobalt blue silks with white epaulettes were as recognisable as a Manchester United shirt or Real Madrid jersey are to football fans,” says Ivan-Duke.

Sheikh Hamdan the man was known for his good-heartedness with all he met, including those with whom he worked most closely.

“From a phone call when we went into lockdown in January to check [if] my family was ok, to taking [my son’s] James and Eddie onto the podium after Battaash won his first Nunthrope—just a couple of examples of the kindness of Sheikh Hamdan,” says Charlie Hills, who trained horses for Sheikh Hamdan.

Jim Crowley, a jockey for Sheikh Hamdan, was very saddened by his news of his passing.

“You would not meet a more honest and loyal man. I will be forever grateful to him. It’s been an honour and a privilege to ride for him,” said Crowley.

Sheikh Hamdan’s biggest achievements on the racetrack included two winners of the Derby at Epsom, the blue riband event of the Flat racing calendar in the UK.

“Those hero horses, Nashwan and Erhaab, are included alongside other famous triumphs, including Dubai World Cup winners Almutakwakel and Invasor. The latter also won a Breeders’ Cup Classic, the pinnacle of international racing in the United States, and he secured Australia’s most famous race, the Melbourne Cup, twice, with At Talaq and Jeune. Last year, his incredible sprinter Battaash was named as Sprinter of the Year at the annual Cartier Awards,” Ivan-Duke continued.

A powerful figure in thoroughbred racing, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum was also an influential force in Arabian horse racing too.

“His loss to horse racing will not just be in his willingness to put millions of dollars into his operations or in his huge successes on the track, but his passion and dedication in elevating the United Arab Emirates as a major powerhouse on the global horse racing circuit.”

Sheikh Hamdan was the second son of Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who passed away in 1990 after ruling the emirate for 32 years, beginning in 1958.

Sheikh Hamdan spent his life in Dubai, studying at Al-Ahlia school before travelling to Bell School of Languages in Cambridge.