Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence of the UAE, was spotted at Meydan Racecourse sharing a light-hearted moment with an official during the 2026 Dubai World Cup on Saturday night.
In a video that quickly went viral, Sheikh Hamdan is seen standing behind trainer Simon Crisford, who is intently watching a race. Unaware of his presence, Crisford appears startled when he realises Sheikh Hamdan is behind him, before playfully stepping aside.
The Dubai World Cup featured around 100 horses from top international stables competing in nine races, with a total prize pool of $30.5 million. The evening’s highlight was the $12 million Dubai World Cup race, run over 2,000 metres on dirt.
Magnitude, ridden by jockey Jose Ortiz, delivered an impressive performance to secure victory, marking the second consecutive win for an American horse. Entering as an outsider against the heavily favoured Japanese contender Forever Young, the thoroughbred surged ahead with a powerful finish, fending off its rival in the closing stages.
In an emotional post-race press conference, the 32-year-old hailed Magnitude as “the best horse in the world.”
“It was third time lucky for me in this race,” said Ortiz, referring to his two previous attempts in the event. “It was getting tight towards the end, Forever Young was closing in, and when I asked Magnitude to go, he responded beautifully and dug in over the final 200 meters.
“My horse today he was the best horse in the world.”
