Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai. Photo: WAM
On Saturday, March 27, the Dubai World Cup came to a close with a tribute to the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, who died last week. Drones filled Dubai’s night sky illustrating a portrait of Sheikh Hamdan alongside images of racing horses in commemoration of his love for the sport. His photos were also projected onto a large screen accompanied with text reading, “A gentleman, a statesman, the equestrian”.
Courtesy of Dubai World Cup
Sheikh Hamdan died on Wednesday, March 24 at the age of 76. He was known to be an avid lover of racing, owning and breeding race horses that celebrated many victories including the Dubai World Cup in 1999 and 2007.
Many tributes have since poured in, including an emotional one from his daughter, Sheikha Hissa who shared four pictures of her and her father in different stages of their lives. She wrote, “People lost a father. I lost my best friend.” Reacting to a video montage of Sheikh Hamdan on Racing TV, she said, “I couldn’t hold back my tears the moment I saw his watch.”
https://twitter.com/hissa_hamdan/status/1375150525566439425
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai also paid his own tribute on Friday through a video montage.
اللهَّمَّ اغفرْ لَهُ وارحمهُ، وعافِهِ وَاعفُ عنهُ pic.twitter.com/aIC8PxnBCN
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) March 26, 2021
Tributes and condolences to the Al Maktoum family continue to be paid by many Emirati officials and business leaders that knew the late Sheikh Hamdan.
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