Dubai : Whenever Her Highness Sheikha Hissa goes to the races in England, her beloved late father Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, a titan of the sport for decades, is never far from her side.
In a fitting tribute to his memory, the 26-year-old carries — on the right side of her abaya — a small photograph of Sheikh Hamdan, who founded the global Shadwell horse racing and breeding empire which she inherited upon his death last year.
And his image carried on a badge will certainly be on display at Ascot on October 15 when Sheikha Hissa will watch Baaeed in his last ever race in the Champion Stakes.
Baaeed, which loosely translated means ‘far away’, has won all ten of his races, most recently at York in the International Stakes. His scintillating performance there drew comparisons with the great Frankel.
The fact that Baaeed is even being mentioned in such glowing terms is a fitting legacy for Sheikh Hamdan whose breeding operation has produced a clutch of equine superstars over the years.
The breeding dynasty was founded 40 years ago when Sheikh Hamdan visited the royal stud of Queen Elizabeth II at Sandringham in Norfolk and bought a filly named Height of Fashion from Her Majesty for a reported £1.5 million. Baaeed, a fifth generation direct descendant, is now worth an estimated £50m.
“For me and my family Baaeed means the world,” Sheikha Hissa continued. “He is homebred. The whole lineage goes back to Height of Fashion.”
Although the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe was another option for the champion four-year-old, Sheikha Hissa and her advisers, trainer William Haggas and Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold opted on Wednesday for his finale on ‘home turf’ in England.
Baaeed forms a great link between Sheikh Hamdan and his daughter. Hopefully this horse will help to keep Shadwell alive and thriving in years to come. That would be great and an incredible legacy.
TN
