Mohammad honoured at Cartier awards

London: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was honoured with the prestigious Cartier / Daily Telegraph Award of Merit on Monday.

Zarkava, the brilliant filly belonging to her breeder Aga Khan, was named Cartier Horse of The Year at a glittering dinner ceremony at Grosvenor House here.

As Shaikh Mohammad could not attend the awards ceremony, Cartier UK Managing Director Arnaud Bamberger handed him the trophy in Dubai.

Reacting to the honour, Shaikh Mohammad said: "I am delighted by this award. I love racing and breeding. We race not only in England and Europe as Godolphin is all around the world. I am very, very pleased with my racing company and my breeding operation. I love racing and I will always be involved in the sport. Thank you very much."

The Cartier / Daily Telegraph Award Of Merit is given to persons who, in the opinion of a special jury of 20 members, have done most for European racing and / or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.

Shaikh Mohammad's wife Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain now also owns a large string of horses, including this year's English Derby winner, New Approach, who was named Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Colt.

New Approach was trained by Jim Bolger in Ireland, while John Godsen, based in Newmarket, England, handled Princess Haya's equally talented colt Raven's Pass, who was also nominated to this year's Cartier Awards.