The death of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, a cousin of Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai and founder of Godolphin, was confirmed in a letter dated December 29 to Darley’s directors.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, owner in Britain since 1992, enjoyed notable success both in Europe and internationally, including with High-Rise in the 1998 Derby, while the excellence of his broodmares has come to the fore in recent years.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid was at times outspoken during his racing days and was willing to end relationships with trainers; However, he has supported a wide range of handlers and has been a supporter of yards in the north of Britain in recent seasons, including those of Karl Burke and Kevin Ryan.
Ryan achieved Group 1s for the owner with Triple Time, Inisherin, Fonteyn and Emaraaty Ana, while Burke gave him his last major success before his death when Royal champion won the Bahrain International Trophy (G3) last month.
The owner’s star performer over the past three years has been Rosallion, the Group 1-winning youngster who claimed Ireland’s Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) last year before going close to a string of Group 1s this year. Rosallion was one of several talented horses bred by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid in recent years, including Bow Echo, winner of this year’s Royal Lodge Stakes (G2), who is second favorite for the Two Thousand Guineas (G1); and Without a Fight, the 2023 Melbourne Cup (G1) winner.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s achievements as a breeder date back to Dubawi, who was bred from his mare Zomaradah, the 1998 Italian Oaks (G1) winner who raced in North America, where she won the 1998 EP Taylor Stakes (G1T) and finished third in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T). From Dubai’s only crop Millennium was Dubawi a classic winning racehorse and a champion sire to 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.
Later that year, however, Postponed was moved to Roger Varian after the owner severed ties with Cumani. Explaining his 2016 decision, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid said: “If I tell a trainer something, he has to listen to me, not do his own thing. I am a soldier. If I give someone an order, he has to follow my order. I am not going to listen to a trainer to give me an order what to do, this is my last thing.”
After transferring his mounts to Varian, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s colors were also transferred to Group/Grade 1 victories 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 express his passion for racing to a greater extent thanks to the financial rewards of Dubawi’s breeding success.
Varian, who sent out 198 winners for the owner, retired from training for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid last year, backing the likes of Richard Hannon, George Boughey, Simon and Ed Crisford and others, all enjoying success for the owner in his trusty yellow silks with black spots.
A total of 14 trainers were used by the owner in Britain before his death; with 2024 and 2025 being its most successful seasons in terms of prize money won, with £2.66 million won last year and £2.05 million won this year.
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