Dubai: Over the past three and a half decades Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, has collected many accolades as a noted owner, breeder and promoter of horse racing.
However, the honour he was bestowed with on Tuesday at the 24th Cartier Racing Awards, where he was presented with the prestigious Award of Merit, must rank as one of the sweetest and most gratifying.
The unique prize, which in the past has been won by major personalities including His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, recognises his contribution to horse racing and his extols his untiring efforts to promote the sport to a wider audience.
His prestigious breeding operations, Shadwell and Derrinstown, have been long-standing sponsors of racing around the world, having supported race meetings in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Dubai, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Peru and the USA.
It was a first Cartier Award for Shaikh Hamdan, who sampled his first victory on July 30, 1980 when Mushref won a handicap at Redcar in the UK.
Since then Shaikh Hamdan has gone on to become of the most successful owners and breeders of the modern era and Mirza Al Sayegh, Director of his Office, told Gulf News.
“Shaikh Hamdan is delighted to have won this award as it recognises his timeless passion and efforts in breeding and promoting horse racing,” Al Sayegh said.
“When he was informed that he was being nominated for the Award of Merit he said he was happy for all the people who work on his team and have helped make Shadwell such a successful operation.
“Shaikh Hamdan is a team man and this new honour illustrates what a significant contribution he has made to the sport for the past three and a half decades.”
This year alone horses racing in Shaikh Hamdan’s famous blue and white silks have scored 17 Stakes victories with pride of place going to his homebred Taghrooda, who also gifted him a 12th British Classic success to bag the coveted Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly award.
Angus Gold, Shaikh Hamdan’s racing manager, was present in London to receive the award.
Earlier this year Shaikh Hamdan was declared British Champion Owner for the fifth time following 1990, 1995, 2002, and 2005.
Meanwhile, the outstanding three-year-old miler Kingman was named the Cartier Horse of the Year, the most sought after of the eight award categories.
Kingman triumphed over formidable opposition including last year’s winner Treve, the repeat Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe champion, dual Derby winner Australia and Noble Mission, who completed a hat-trick of Group 1 victories in 2014 when successful in the Champion Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day.
The Cartier Racing Awards are European horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars. They were presented before an invited audience of 315 at the Dorchester Hotel, London, England. ard — Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August.
