Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, the leading owner and breeder in British racing, has died. His death was confirmed on Monday, leaving the racing community in shock.
Trainer Karl Burke, who trained several horses for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, expressed his sadness. “It’s a shock. I was only talking to him earlier today and we discussed all the horses he was looking forward to for next season,” Burke told the Press Association. “I owe him a lot. He gave me a lot of responsibility to train all those good horses for him and he was a very good man.”
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's yellow silks with black spots were famously carried to victory in the 1998 Derby by High-Rise, trained by Luca Cumani. Other top-class performers he owned include Postponed, winner of the King George and Juddmonte International, and more recently Rosallion, Inisherin, and Royal Champion.
Burke saddled Royal Champion to win the Bahrain International Trophy last month and trains several exciting horses for the owner, including Zeus Olympios, Boiling Point, and Hankelow. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid also owned and bred the 2023 Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight, while his undefeated Royal Lodge Stakes winner Bow Echo is a leading fancy for next year's 2,000 Guineas.
A cousin of Sheikh Mohammed and a member of the ruling family of Dubai, Sheikh Obaid leaves an indelible mark on the bloodstock world through his mare Zomaradah, a Classic winner and dam of champion sire Dubawi.
