Jockey Club Presents Portrait to Sheikh Mohammed

Dubai Millennium & Sheikh Mohammed | The Jockey Club

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The Turf's most venerable institution, with a due sense of history, has made a gesture of gratitude to a man whose investment in the modern Thoroughbred stands almost without precedent.

A portrait by Paul Benney of Sheikh Mohammed, alongside his cherished champion Dubai Millennium (GB) and against a backdrop of the skyscrapers that nowadays dominate the horizons of his homeland, was presented to its subject by the Jockey Club at the Rowley Mile on Saturday. A twin portrait, commissioned simultaneously, will now take its place in the historic gallery of the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket.

The Jockey Club was at pains to recognise not only the commitment to the sport of Godolphin's founder, manifested on the day both in his sponsorship of the Dubai Future Champions Festival and in the Group 1 success of of his latest star Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal), but also his support of so many charity and community projects.

The Sheikh's presence vividly transformed the fortunes of numerous vendors at both the Keeneland September Sale and Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale last week. But the Jockey Club also wished to acknowledge the equivalent impact he has more discreetly achieved at grass-roots level, wherever his breeding and racing empire extends—from Newmarket itself to Lexington, and from Co Kildare to the Hunter Valley.

The Jockey Club had previously commissioned Benney to pay a similar tribute to the Queen, who was portrayed with her Gold Cup winner Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}).

The Sheikh's delight was transparent as he unveiled the painting, following a few words on behalf of the Jockey Club by Peter Stanley of New England Stud.

“There are few individuals in the history of the sport of horseracing can truly be described as having made an indelible mark, but His Highness is one of those,” Stanley said. “His contribution has touched racing communities around the world, as anybody who lives and works in Newmarket can attest.

“Along with the generous support of Dubai, which was pivotal in the creation of this fantastic two-day racing spectacular, Sheikh Mohammed's influence can be seen in such diverse areas as the National Horseracing Museum, the Newmarket Academy library and refurbishment project, and the statue of Her Majesty the Queen that is among the first things many visitors to the town see on arrival.

“His Godolphin racing empire also supports key programmes such as the Stud and Stable Staff Awards, the Flying Start programme and Lifetime Care for retired racehorses. Meanwhile young people in Newmarket have taken great benefit from educational programmes such as Under Starter's Orders and the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project, which seek to inspire the next generation to be the best they can be.

“Sheikh Mohammed's charitable work has also benefited charities such as the Jockey Club's own Racing Welfare, as well as the Injured Jockeys' Fund, Retraining of Racehorses and the East Anglian Air Ambulance—to name only a few of several.

“The horseracing and Thoroughbred breeding industries have seen legacies created and shaped by the support and passion of His Highness and we are delighted to welcome him to the Rowley Mile today to receive this gift.”

Stanley afterwards spoke of his sense of “huge privilege” in making the presentation.

“Everybody here knows what he has done for British racing, and how his vision has transformed horseracing around the globe,” he said. “Unknown to many people, however, is just how much generosity he has shown to countless non-racing charities.  Endless people have benefited from his extraordinary kindness, in all walks of life: his grants to education will transform people's lives for a generation.

“The Jockey Club recognises our good fortune that he should have based his racing empire here in Newmarket, helping to cement our town as the headquarters of world racing. The Jockey Club art collection hails many of the greatest racehorses, but there are very few paintings of such individuals. One of Sheikh Mohammed is long overdue.”

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