The next seven days could be a landmark week for the racing pretensions of Sheikh Fahad Al Thani.
Today, Havana Gold will represent the 23-year-old Sheikh and his two brothers, Sheikh Hamad and Sheikh Suhaim, at the Curragh in the Irish 2000 Guineas in which Fort Knox runs for the first time in the maroon and white colours of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Tomorrow, Just The Judge lines up as the widely-regarded favourite for the Irish 1000 Guineas at the same course.
Wind forward to next Saturday and Dunaden, the Sheikh's 2011 Melbourne Cup hero, faces a rematch with his Dubai Sheema Classic conqueror St Nicholas Abbey in the Coronation Cup at Epsom before his recent acquisition, Chopin, will try to deny Godolphin's Dawn Approach from becoming the 38th horse to complete the English 2000 Guineas and Derby double.
It has been a meteoric rise as an owner for the son of Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalifa, a former prime minister of Qatar, who sought out racing manager David Redvers only in 2010 and a major victory in Britain would put a seal on his burgeoning racing empire.
"I am enjoying being involved in Britain and my brothers are quite happy now, which is the most important thing," Sheikh Fahad said.
"We are now reaping the fruits that we have put in and this year we have plenty of nice two year olds to come through."
Many an owner has fallen over himself to highlight the potential of their juvenile string, but for Sheikh Fahad it is not only about guiding thoroughbred talent to achieve its potential.
Last year, it was announced that Harry Bentley was to be the No 2 rider to the Pearl Bloodstock operation behind Jamie Spencer for this European Flat season.
The 20-year-old Bentley finished seventh in the UAE jockeys' standings for the 2012/2013 season, riding out of Grandstand Stables and will partner most horses out of rookie trainer Olly Stevens' new Robins Farm yard just outside of London, which is patronised by Sheikh Fahad.
Stevens himself is only 33, a year older than Spencer, and it is clear Sheikh Fahad enjoys the role as mentor, despite his tender years.
"Harry Bentley came on to my radar two years ago," he said.
"As big owners we have a responsibility to take young people and bring them up through the game. It is why we have young trainers all over.
"He is a long-term project and we are giving him all the time and everything he needs to become a top-class jockey in the years to come."
The Sheikh's hands-on approach has certain complications. He has an almost insatiable thirst for knowledge and keeps tabs on all of his horses through daily bulletins not only from Redvers, but also from Spencer.
Spencer sends a detailed breakdown of all the Sheikh's horses he has ridden on any particular day by email, and the Sheikh's constant contact keeps the Irishman on his toes.
"When the boss is a good bit younger than you you've got to work that bit harder," Spencer said.
"I am very comfortable with my riding right now. It's the stuff you dream of working for this team. The boss is so hands on and understands race riding and all the different aspects to it. It is very helpful."
Spencer will ride both Dunaden and Chopin next Saturday. If Dunaden has been Sheikh Fahad's flagship horse after wins at Flemington, and in the Caulfield Cup and Hong Kong Vase, then Chopin could well be the future.
Chopin is Germany's highest-rated three-year-old colt after an eight-length success in a Group 3 at Krefeld last month and will be the first German horse to run in the Derby if, as is planned, Sheikh Fahad stumps up the £75,000 (Dh416,628) to supplement to the son of Santiago on Monday.
Trained by Andreas Wohler, who saddled Paolini to win the 2004 Dubai Duty Free at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, the colt was bought privately by the Sheikh with the express intention of becoming his first runner in Britain's iconic race.
"After the horse won at Krefeld, all of our people were impressed," Sheikh Fahad added.
"I think the horse has a proper chance of finishing in the first four although it's a different thing to say that he could win.
"The Derby is the number one race in the world - the race you want to have a runner in.
"A race, too, that you want to have a runner with a proper chance, which is why we have not been represented until now."
sports@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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