The home Stretch: Saeed's hard work pays rich dividends

It seems appropriate this week to applaud Saeed Bin Surour, who reached another personal milestone of 100 winners in the Dubai International Racing Carnival.

You have to look at such achievements to reflect on the fact that anyone who is committed to his sport, and is prepared to work tirelessly, as Saeed does, will have the opportunity to go out on to the big stage and write his name into the record books.

While the same may be true for most sportsmen, there's something to be said about the way Saeed has gone about achieving all that he has since he was given charge to train thoroughbred champions for the most ambitious racing stable in the world, Godolphin.

If you know Saeed as I do, you will realise what makes him such an endearing person is the fact that he's a humble champion who personifies the very Middle Eastern concept of success through hard work. Much in the mould of UAE Olympic goal medallist Shaikh Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum or Qatar's rally champion Nasser Al Attiyah.

Sport is one thing in life that you can take up as a child and make a career out of it when you grow older. Saeed has always credited his interest, and most of his success, to the inspiration he found in His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

He once told me that he was so moved by Shaikh Mohammad's love for horses and equestrian sports that he gave up his profession as a policeman to become a race horse trainer. He was prepared not to let any challenges stand in the way of him, enjoying what he had chosen to do. "Fear prevents ordinary people from performing up to their true potential," he once said. "You have to go where your heart wants you to go. Becoming a race horse trainer gave me a sense of accomplishment."

Sixteen years since he first sensed accomplishment Saeed has gone on to carve a niche for himself in the big, big world of horse racing.

And when he notched up his 100th Carnival winner at Meydan Racecourse last week, there was something inspirational about the thought that an ordinary guy like him can go on to achieve success beyond belief.

All this through a combination of determination, selflessness and perhaps a little bit of luck!