Newbury, England: This is not just about horse racing. It’s about passion — the passion of one man who over the years has strived to bring Purebred Arabian racing to the forefront through the best competition, quality and friendship.

When Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, established the Dubai International Arabian Races back in 1982, his goal was to popularise the Arabian horse and help it earn the respect that it deserves.

Only a few hundred curious people turned up at Kemptom Park racecourse to witness what was a historic day’s racing, when the first major Arabian race meet was staged. Some of them were thrilled, others not. But the first step had been made. Thirty-four years later, that scenario has changed significantly. Arabian racing is now a popular sport around the UK and across Europe, thanks to the pioneering efforts of Shaikh Hamdan and, more recently, Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidental Affairs, through his ground-breaking Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival.

The great Bobby Charlton, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team once said: “Passion is key. Why do I find passion in soccer? The competition is what drive me, the exercise is what makes me take one step farther in every game and the friendships are what encourages me to play to win. To me soccer is not just another sports, it’s my passion.”

Likewise, Shaikh Hamdan is driven by passion, relentless passion for the sport that he says is closest to his heart.

Love for horses

“From a small child, I was encouraged by my father, Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, to ride horses. My love for this wonderful animal grew with me over the years and there is nothing that gives me more pleasure than to be involved in promoting horse racing and breeding around the world,” he said when speaking to journalists at his UK home at Warren Lodge in Surrey on Friday.

Watching Shaikh Hamdan patiently answer all kinds of questions during the marathon 90-minute session was like witnessing his life story being played out.

As we listened carefully, we began to get a better understanding of his love for horses and the enthusiasm with which he approaches the sport that has been so deep-seated in his life.

Shaikh Hamdan has been instrumental in engaging with the authorities that run the sport and is continually urging them to help drive it forward into a brighter future.

His energy and passion has inspired others and unquestionably, with his dedicated efforts, the sport of horse racing can reach even greater heights.