Sheikh Mohammed's Eldest Son Dies at Age 33
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Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who campaigned horses under the Zabeel Racing International banner, died of a heart attack the morning of Sept. 19. He was 33.
A Thoroughbred owner and an ardent horseman, Sheikh Rashid was the eldest son of Sheikh Mohammed. He enjoyed success in the U.S. with runners such as grade I winners Henny Hughes, Richard's Kid , and Game Face. Most recently he had a number of runners in Dubai with trainer Satish Seemar.
Zabeel Racing was formed in 2006, and Henny Hughes was the stable's first stakes winner.
Kiaran McLaughlin, who trained Henny Hughes to win the 2006 Vosburgh and King's Bishop (both gr. I) in back-to-back starts, remembered Sheikh Rashid as being very passionate about the Thoroughbred industry.
"I watched him grow up when I spent 10 years in Dubai (training for the Maktoum family)," said McLaughlin. "I knew him pretty well. He was sharp about horses and was a good horseman. I feel really sad for his father and the whole family."
Other prominent runners for Sheikh Rashid include Reynaldothewizard, Conveyance, Rhythm Band, Grand Emporium, Spindrift, Surfer, Hellvelyn to name only a few as well as Susu, who provided him his first group victory in the 1999 Challenge Stakes (Eng-II) at Newmarket.
Sheikh Rashid's first victory outside of Dubai, where he was leading owner a record five times, came at age 17 when For Your Eyes Only captured the 1998 William Hill Mile at Goodwood.
Sheikh Rashid studied at Sandhurst Military Academy in England and graduated in 2002. He rode successfully in amateur riders' races in Dubai and was an accomplished endurance race rider, representing the United Arab Emirates a number of times, including in the FEI World Endurance Championships.
Via Twitter, Sheikh Rashid's brother Sheikh Hamdan, crown prince of Dubai, said: "Today, I lost a best friend and a childhood companion...my dear brother Rashid. You will be missed."
Burial of Sheikh Rashid was to take place Saturday evening (Sept. 19) at Umm Hurair cemetery in Bur Dubai following funeral prayers at the Zabeel Mosque, Emirates News Agency reported. A three-day period of mourning has been declared in Dubai, with flags to be flown at half-staff.