Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum flies to Dubai as Royal Ascot begins

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum flew from Dubai International Airport to an airfield near the city on June 16, a short 1-hour-40-minute hop aboard his Boeing 747-433M Combi, A6-COM. The flight, which reached 39,000 feet and a top speed of 492 knots, brought him back to his home base after a series of trips that included movements to and from Newmarket, the heart of his Godolphin racing operation.

The same week, Royal Ascot — the most celebrated meeting in international horse racing — got underway in England, with Godolphin and several UAE-owned horses expected to play a leading role, per the Khaleej Times. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum founded Godolphin in 1992, and the stable has recorded more than 60 winners at the festival. The opening day featured four Group races, including the G1 Queen Anne Stakes and the G1 St James's Palace Stakes, where Godolphin was strongly represented.

The ruler’s recent flight history shows a steady pattern of shuttling between Dubai and Newmarket in the days leading up to the meeting, consistent with his hands-on role in the stable’s operations. The Dubai World Cup, which he also founded, remains the world’s richest horse race, but Royal Ascot is where Godolphin’s royal blue silks have become a fixture in the winner’s enclosure.