The British horse racing community is in mourning following the sudden death of leading owner and breeder Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. The prominent figure, whose distinctive yellow silks with black spots have been a fixture on British racecourses since the early 1990s, passed away on Monday, 29 December 2025.
A Sudden Loss for the Racing World
Trainer Karl Burke, who saddled the Sheikh's Royal Champion to win the Bahrain International Trophy just last month, expressed his profound shock. "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 was due to meet him next week and it's such sad news because he loved his horses and I know he was really looking forward to next year."
Burke, who trained a powerful string for the owner, added a personal tribute: "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."
A Legacy of Champion Horses
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's impact on the sport was immense. He first rose to prominence when his colt High-Rise, trained by Luca Cumani, stormed to victory in the 1998 Derby at Epsom. That success was just the beginning of a remarkable career at the top level of ownership.
His other major winners included:
- Postponed, a top-class performer who secured victories in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Juddmonte International.
- Rosallion, a brilliant miler.
- Without A Fight, whom he owned and bred to win the 2023 Melbourne Cup.
At the time of his passing, his racing empire contained a host of exciting prospects for the 2026 season. These included the unbeaten Zeus Olympios, Boiling Point, and Hankelow under Burke's care, plus the undefeated Bow Echo, trained by George Boughey, who is a leading fancy for next year's 2,000 Guineas.
An Indelible Mark on Bloodstock
Beyond his success as an owner, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, a cousin of Sheikh Mohammed and a member of Dubai's ruling family, leaves a profound legacy as a breeder. His influence will endure through the phenomenal success of the sire Dubawi, who is out of the Sheikh's mare Zomaradah.
Zomaradah was a Classic winner herself, and her son Dubawi—from the only crop of the legendary Dubai Millennium—has become a champion sire in Britain and Ireland, shaping the breed for generations to come. This breeding triumph ensures the Sheikh's yellow and black spots will be remembered on racecourses for many years ahead.
