Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, the breeder of Dubawi and owner of star performers including 1998 Epsom Derby (G1) winner High-Rise, as well as Postponed and Rosallion, died Dec. 29.
A cousin of Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai and founder of Godolphin, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s death was confirmed to directors at Darley in a Dec. 29 note.
An owner in Great Britain since 1992, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid enjoyed notable success both in Europe and internationally, including with High-Rise in the 1998 Derby, while the excellence of his broodmares came to the fore in recent years.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid was at times outspoken during his time in racing and was prepared to end relationships with trainers; however, he supported a wide range of handlers and was a backer of yards based in northern Britain, including those of Karl Burke and Kevin Ryan, in recent seasons.
Ryan landed group 1s for the owner with Triple Time, Inisherin, Fonteyn, and Emaraaty Ana, while Burke provided him with his last major success before his death when Royal Champion landed the Bahrain International Trophy (G3) last month.
The owner’s star performer in the past three years was Rosallion, the group 1-winning juvenile who landed last year’s Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) before running close in a string of group 1s this year. Rosallion was one of several talented horses bred in recent years by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, including Bow Echo, this year’s Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) winner, who is the second favorite for the Two Thousand Guineas (G1); and Without a Fight, the 2023 Melbourne Cup (G1) winner.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s exploits as a breeder stretch back to Dubawi, who was bred from his mare Zomaradah, the 1998 Italian Oaks (G1) winner who raced in North America where she captured the 1998 E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) and finished third in the 1999 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T). From the lone crop of Dubai Millennium, Dubawi went on to be a classic-winning racehorse and a champion sire for Darley.
Zomaradah, like many of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s early stars, was trained by Luca Cumani. The owner and trainer teamed up to win the 1998 Derby with High-Rise and later won the 2015 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) with Postponed.
However, later that year, Postponed was moved to Roger Varian after the owner cut ties with Cumani. Explaining his decision in 2016, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid said: “When I tell a trainer something, he has to listen to me, not do his own thing. I am military. If I give somebody an order, he has to take my order. I'm not going to listen to a trainer to give me an order what to do, this is my final thing.”
After switching his horses to Varian, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's colors were also carried to group/grade 1 wins by Defoe, Sheikha Reika, Ajman Princess, and Zabeel Prince, as well as further strikes for Postponed in the Sheema Classic (G1T), Coronation Cup (G1), and Juddmonte International (G1). The owner was able to indulge his passion for racing to a greater extent due to the financial rewards of Dubawi's success at stud.
Varian, who sent out 198 winners for the owner, stopped training for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid last year, by which point the likes of Richard Hannon, George Boughey, Simon and Ed Crisford, and others had been supported, with all enjoying success for the owner in his familiar yellow silks with black spots.
In total, 14 trainers were used by the owner in Britain before his death; with 2024 and 2025 his most successful seasons in terms of prize-money won, with £2.66 million banked last year and £2.05m won this year.
