Multiple champion owner and breeder whose influence transformed British racing

Hamdan Al Maktoum was a colossus of the turf whose investment of billions of pounds made the deputy ruler of Dubai a major global player in the sport for four decades.

He and his brothers, especially Sheikh Mohammed, transformed British racing through sheer weight of money, and their horses, studs and other assets made them the world's most powerful owners.

The multiple champion owner and breeder operated under the Shadwell banner, and his long list of stars included Nashwan, Dayjur, world champions Sakhee and Invasor, and Erhaab, Nayef, Battaash and top fillies Salsabil and Taghrooda. He also bred Istabraq.

Unlike some owner-breeders, he was a proper horseman with a sharp eye. He recognised all his horses – they all had Arabic names – and knew their pedigrees, and there were many stories about him going around evening stables and noticing things the trainers and grooms had missed.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum was born on December 25, 1945, the second son of Sheikh Rashid, the ruler of Dubai from 1958 to 1990. The eldest son was Maktoum Al Maktoum and the third was Sheikh Mohammed.

Dubai was one of the seven emirates that formed the United Arab Emirates in 1971, and oil revenues enabled the anglophile Maktoums to rank among the richest families in the world.

Brought up in a horse-loving culture, young Hamdan had his interest in thoroughbreds nurtured when attending an English Language school in Cambridge in the late 1960s, watching the racing at Newmarket from the silver ring. A decade later he followed Sheikh Mohammed's lead by starting to purchase yearlings at the sales.

He first attracted attention when paying 625,000gns for Ghadeer, a son of Lyphard, at Tattersalls in October 1979. This more than doubled the European record for a yearling at auction.

Tom Jones was the man who made the record bid and also did most to lay the foundations of the sheikh's racing and breeding empire. A Newmarket trainer best known for champion two-mile chaser Tingle Creek, Jones became a friend of Sheikh Hamdan as well as his first trainer, and they had long discussions about the future of the nascent operation.

On his retirement in 1996 Jones said: “I remember going to meet the four brothers' father, Sheikh Rashid, thinking there might just be a horse in it for me. When he said he wanted his four sons each to have 100 broodmares, I thought he'd put something in his coffee which he hadn't put in mine. But everything he said came true.”

Sheikh Hamdan's first winner was Mushref at Redcar in July 1980, trained by Jones and ridden by Paul Cook, and his first Pattern winner was Ghadeer, who never justified his record price-tag but did land the Group 3 Premio Carlo Porta in Milan in 1981.

With money no object, Derrinstown Stud in Kildare became the first stud he bought, from Arkle's owner Anne Duchess of Westminster in 1983. Shadwell Estate in Norfolk and Shadwell Farm in Kentucky were purchased the following year.

Shadwell Estate was run by Bobby Dolbey, who became his close bloodstock adviser until retiring in 1994, when Richard Lancaster took over; Derrinstown was managed by Hubie de Burgh until 2003, when Stephen Collins succeeded; and Shadwell's Kentucky branch has always been run by Rick Nichols.

Nashwan: brilliant Derby winner who was one of many Sheikh Hamdan superstarsCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Sheikh Hamdan also bought many blue-blooded mares including the Queen's Height Of Fashion, who became the dam of Nashwan, Nayef and Unfuwain. He appointed Angus Gold as his racing manager in 1987, and spoke to him almost every day.

Trained by Jones, Al Bahathri became the owner's first Classic winner in the 1985 Irish 1,000 Guineas, and was such a favourite of his that when he paid for a new all-weather gallop at Newmarket he named it after her.

The sheikh also won big races in Australia with trainer Colin Hayes, including the Melbourne Cup with At Talaq in 1986 and the Cox Plate with former Hardwicke winner Almaarad in 1989. At Talaq had been his first Group 1 winner in the 1984 Grand Prix de Paris.

He had a supremely fruitful partnership with trainer Dick Hern thanks to Nashwan, Dayjur, Elmaamul and Alhaarth.

In 1989 Nashwan, a half-brother to his King George runner-up Unfuwain, became the only horse to win the 2,000 Guineas, Derby, Eclipse and King George in the same year, and also the first home-bred Classic winner for any of the Maktoum brothers.

Nashwan triumphed by five lengths at both Epsom and Sandown, but instead of a Triple Crown attempt in the St Leger the owner ran him in the Prix Niel as a warm-up for the Arc. The colt lost his unbeaten record and was promptly retired to stud.

On official ratings Nashwan was only the third-best three-year-old colt in Britain (after Zilzal and Old Vic), but he is still perhaps the most famous of Sheikh Hamdan's horses because of the prestige of the races in his unique four-timer. He was responsible for making Sheikh Hamdan champion breeder for the first time.

Dayjur was the greatest sprinter of modern times and his RPR of 136 makes him, by that criterion, the best of all the horses to carry Sheikh Hamdan's blue-and-white colours.

As a three-year-old in 1990 Dayjur scorched home in the King's Stand Stakes, Nunthorpe, Haydock Sprint Cup and (at odds of 1-10) Prix de l'Abbaye, although he is best remembered for throwing away victory in the Breeders' Cup Sprint by jumping a shadow.

Dayjur: brilliant sprinter the best horse Sheikh Hamdan owned on RPRs

In that same year, triple Classic winner Salsabil proved herself the best filly Sheikh Hamdan ever owned. Purchased as a yearling, she landed the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks, became the first filly in 90 years to win the Irish Derby, and also took the Prix Vermeille, but she disappointed when favourite for the Arc.

Ashal (Gold Cup), Elmaamul (Eclipse) and champion juveniles Mujtahid and Shadayid also contributed to the first prizes that enabled the sheikh to claim his first owners' championship, although on overall prize-money he was second to Sheikh Mohammed. Shadayid went on to win the 1,000 Guineas.

The creation of Godolphin in 1992 changed the focus of the Maktoum brothers' racing empires. Dubai's new flagship stable became Sheikh Mohammed's main priority, and some of Sheikh Hamdan's promising youngsters were transferred to race under the Godolphin banner.

Some of his horses with Godolphin's trainer Saeed bin Suroor continued to run in his own colours, as Almutawakel did when winning the 1999 Dubai World Cup, but others ran in Godolphin's royal blue with Sheikh Hamdan retaining an interest, like Mutafaweq in the 1999 St Leger and Sakhee as a four-year-old.

He gained his second Derby victory when Erhaab justified favouritism in 1994, although the colt was unplaced behind Epsom runner-up King's Theatre in the King George.

In that same year he won his second Melbourne Cup with the David Hayes-trained Jeune.

The owner-breeder enjoyed two consecutive memorable front-running victories in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The enigmatic Maroof caused a 66-1 shock in 1994, and 12 months later Bahri scored after being steered very wide in the early stages by Willie Carson.

Carson retired in 1996 and was succeeded by Richard Hills as Sheikh Hamdan's first jockey.

Among the owner's other stars, Alhaarth (1995) and Mujahid (1998) were champion two-year-olds after winning the Dewhurst, and Elnadim was twice champion sprinter.

Arguably the greatest champion he ever bred was Istabraq, who won two minor races in his colours and, after being sold to JP McManus, became a triple Champion Hurdle winner.

Istabraq: triple Champion Hurdle winner was bred by Sheikh Hamdan and raced in his colours on the FlatCredit: MSI Caroline Norris

John Dunlop trained Salsabil, Shadayid, Erhaab, Bahri, Elnadim and Mujahid for him, and also handled Sakhee when that colt won the Dante Stakes and was beaten a length by Sinndar in a vintage edition of the Derby in 2000.

Sakhee proved himself a great champion in 2001 after being transferred to Godolphin (though with Hamdan as partner), and his RPR of 135 made him the greatest of all the Shadwell-bred Flat champions. He ran away with the Juddmonte International by seven lengths and put up a dazzling performance in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, equalling the record six-length winning margins of Ribot and Sea-Bird.

Nashwan's half-brother Nayef won the Dubai Champion Stakes at Newmarket in 2001, and as a four-year-old landed the Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba. He then swapped two close decisions with Golan, being edged out in the King George but gaining his revenge in the Juddmonte International.

The owner's next stars were Mubtaker, runner-up in the Arc in 2003; Haafhd (by Alhaarth out of Al Bahathri), who won the 2,000 Guineas and Champion Stakes in 2004; and Eswarah, the 2005 Oaks winner.

Maktoum Al Maktoum, who had become ruler of Dubai in 1990, died in 2006 and was succeeded by Sheikh Mohammed. The latter was the dynamic brother, the driving force behind both the development of Dubai into an international commercial centre and the family's involvement in racing. Sheikh Hamdan, although senior to him in age, never courted publicity and was content to remain in a supporting role.

Later that year Argentinian-bred Invasor followed Sakhee as Sheikh Hamdan's second world champion on official ratings. Bought after winning the Triple Crown in Uruguay, the four-year-old clinched US Horse of the Year honours in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

In 2007 Invasor became his second Dubai World Cup winner, Lahudood won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and Shadwell Stable took the Eclipse Award as the top owner in North America. Both champions were trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, as was Jazil, his 2006 Belmont Stakes winner.

There followed a few lean years by Shadwell's high standards, the low point of which came when one of its cast-offs, Makfi, won the 2,000 Guineas in 2010.

Sheikh Hamdan leads in Taghrooda and Paul Hanagan after their victory in the 2014 OaksCredit: Mark Cranham

In 2014 Taghrooda, trained by John Gosden, won the Oaks, became Sheikh Hamdan's second King George winner, and came third when favourite for the Arc, while Mukhadram landed the Eclipse.

Muhaarar became his next champion sprinter in 2015 with a Group 1 four-timer including the July Cup and British Champions Sprint.

Richard Hills had retired in 2012 and Paul Hanagan, his successor as the owner's first jockey, was replaced by Jim Crowley in 2017.

He owned another exceptional sprinter in Battaash, who has been the fastest horse in Europe for the last four seasons. That gelding is not the most consistent of champions, but at his best he has almost reached Dayjur's superlative standard. Indeed, he beat Dayjur's York 5f record when blitzing home for his first Nunthorpe victory in 2019.

He had already won the Prix de l'Abbaye, and last year his King's Stand Stakes victory contributed to Sheikh Hamdan's seventh British owners' championship based on total prize-money and his ninth according to win-money only.

His empire was global, as epitomised by the Mike de Kock-trained Soft Falling Rain, South Africa's champion two-year-old of 2011-12 who became a high-class miler in Europe.

However, Angus Gold announced in February that Shadwell would be disbanding its racing and breeding operations in the southern hemisphere, including Australia.

The three branches of his breeding operation are based in England (Shadwell Estate, with headquarters at Nunnery Stud in Norfolk), Ireland (Derrinstown Stud) and the US (Shadwell Farm). His Australian broodmares and youngsters lodged at Yarraman Park Stud in New South Wales.

Sheikh Hamdan was the deputy ruler of Dubai, and his official positions also included UAE minister of finance and industry, in which capacity he represented the country at meetings of OPEC and the International Monetary Fund.

Thoroughbred and Arabian horses were his main hobby, and he was very much a hands-on owner and breeder. He had many long-serving employees who asserted that his dour racecourse appearance was misleading, and that he was private and basically shy with a sense of humour.

Among those dating from the 1980s were racing manager Angus Gold, his deputy Richard Hills (a former apprentice with Tom Jones), Shadwell stud directors Richard Lancaster and Rick Nichols, and Derrinstown manager Stephen Collins.

They knew they were privileged to work for a team in constant pursuit of equine excellence, dealing with elite thoroughbreds owned by a boss who was knowledgeable, loyal and philosophical in defeat.

Sheikh Hamdan usually had his stud-book with him, recognised mares and foals on the farms without being told who they were, and had the final say on everything from matings to running plans.

He had more than 200 horses in training in Britain alone at any one time, all of them on the Flat, and his motivation was purely sporting. Many of his horses were home-bred but he remained a major purchaser at the sales.

The main aim was to produce Classic performers who would go on to shine at stud, and he was perhaps the most prominent of the Maktoum brothers as a breeder. Few of his fillies stayed in training as four-year-olds.

His other trainers in Britain alone included Robert Armstrong (Mujtahid, Maroof), Marcus Tregoning (Nayef, Mubtaker), Barry Hills (Haafhd), Michael Jarvis (Eswarah), Charlie Hills (Muhaarar, Battaash), William Haggas (Mukhadram), Ben Hanbury, Mark Johnston and Sir Michael Stoute.

He had horses in Ireland with Kevin Prendergast for more than 30 years including Madhmoon, runner-up in the 2019 Derby, and also with Dermot Weld.

Madhmoon: runner-up in the 2019 Derby for Sheikh Hamdan and Kevin PrendergastCredit: Patrick McCann

His investment in the sport included not only bloodstock – hundreds of horses in training, plus stallions, broodmares, yearlings, foals and Arab horses – but also new studs and stables and the refurbishment of old ones, the creation of employment, better training facilities for all at Newmarket, and funding for veterinary research, race sponsorship and charity donations.

It could be argued that the Maktoums have been largely responsible for shifting the balance of power in the sport from America back to Europe, with British Flat racing becoming the best in the world – but only with Maktoum support. Any reduction in their presence will have a significant impact.

Angus Gold summed up his boss by saying: “I think what has stood him in good stead is he loves the whole sport. He sees the mares and foals, he sees the yearlings on the studs, he sees the horses in training, he watches them racing and he plans all the matings.

“It's not just like a rich man with his plaything. He absolutely loves it.”

Read more on Hamdan Al Maktoum

From Nashwan to Nayef: ten of the best to run in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan

From Height Of Fashion to Battaash: Tregoning, Johnston and Hills pay tribute

The remarkable facts and figures behind Sheikh Hamdan's achievements

From a small Redcar race to one of the world's great racing and breeding empires (Members' Club)

Sheikh Hamdan: shy, loyal, knowledgeable and a man fond of having a good laugh (Members' Club)

Did Nashwan produce the greatest gallop of all time? Remembering a Hamdan great (Members' Club)

A magnificent racing life: Sheikh Hamdan's champions down the years

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