A hands-on owner-breeder whose decisions stood the test of time

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s portfolio of thoroughbred interests has at times touched six continents, placing him among the giants in the modern form of global racing.

The pivotal piece of the jigsaw is, however, one which represents the timeless essence of where the sport began when he decided to purchase Height Of Fashion from the Queen.

The royal mare, who had won the Fillies’ Mile and May Hill Stakes, changed hands privately as a three-year-old in 1982 and her exploits from the paddocks have influenced the Shadwell operation from when it was in its infancy to the juggernaut that it became.

As Height Of Fashion began to produce champions on the track, the breeding infrastructure was continuing at pace.

Sheikh Hamdan purchased Derrinstown Stud in County Kildare that same year, with the original 375-acre farm swelling to 2,000 as parcels of land were added during subsequent years.

He would add the 6,000-acre Shadwell Estate in Norfolk in 1984, connecting it with Nunnery Stud to create a British headquarters and adding a large swathe of land in Kentucky. He appointed a stud director, Richard Lancaster, racing manager Angus Gold and US manager Rick Nichols, all of whom have remained by his side ever since.

Green Desert, owned by his brother Maktoum Al Maktoum, joined the Nunnery roster and proved a game-changing sire of sires as the father of not only the mighty Invincible Spirit but Oasis Dream and Cape Cross, who in turn was responsible for Sea The Stars.

Green Desert enjoyed a productive career and a happy retirement at Shadwell's Nunnery StudCredit: Edward Whitaker

It was an enduring Shadwell ambition to find Green Desert’s successor and the forthright Sheikh Hamdan was involved every step of the way, from discussing mating plans and naming through to mapping out race targets for hundreds of horses.

Height Of Fashion produced three of their greats in Nashwan, Unfuwain and Nayef, with the trio propelling her influence further as stallions. The magnificent Nashwan sired King George winner Swain and Arc hero Bago, while Unfuwain gave Sheikh Hamdan homebred Classic winners in Lahan and Eswarah.

Nayef, who was Height Of Fashion’s final foal to race, was not only a hardy four-time Group 1 star in the blue and white silks, but was still covering a handful of mares last year. His Group 1 pupils include Tamayuz, who retired to Derrinstown and sired the Lockinge scorer Mustashry.

The six victories which propelled Sheikh Hamdan to leading owner at Royal Ascot in 2020 neatly encapsulate his strategy. He was a familiar sight casting an eye over the offerings at all the major sales events and half of those winners, including his electric sprinter Battaash, were bought at auction, while one of the three homebreds, the King George V Stakes winner Hukum, had Height Of Fashion as his fifth dam.

Although her progeny were almost always trained, as she was as a racehorse, by Major Dick Hern, the mare herself was based in Kentucky to be covered by the great US-based sires such as Mr Prospector, Northern Dancer and Blushing Groom.

Sheikh Hamdan would return to America to purchase some of his other titans, including Al Bahathri, Dayjur and the Belmont winner Jazil, and there has always been a Transatlantic theme to his northern hemisphere pedigrees. He seldom raced his other star fillies, such as Taghrooda, Salsabil and Shadayid, beyond three and they were absorbed into the broodmare band.

One of the other most notable Shadwell performers on the world stage, though, the Dubai World Cup and Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Invasor, had been born in Argentina and landed the Uruguayan Triple Crown before a private purchase in 2005, for what was believed to be a seven-figure fee.

Richard Lancaster is one of a number of long-serving Shadwell employeesCredit: Peter Mooney

The interests extended into Australia, where he boarded mares at Yarraman Park. It was announced in February that the southern hemisphere division was being wound up, with 38 broodmares and further young horses heading for the sales.

Sheikh Hamdan had also bought horses to race with Mike de Kock in South Africa for many years, and within the last month his three-year-old colt Malmoos has emerged as either a stallion or a prospective export to Europe.

He is thought to have still had at least 200 broodmares, not to mention Arabians, horses-in-training, old friends and active stallions. A group of four are headed by new boy Mohaather at Nunnery, while King Of Change took the roster to five at Derrinstown with another three sires based at Shadwell Kentucky.

Although few of us can claim to know the man, even at all, his relationships with his direct employees, trainers and jockeys have stood as much of a test of time as his famous equine pedigrees, which is as much of an acknowledgement of his human qualities as his wise decision-making.

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