EPSOM DERBY

Since the early 1980s and as a member of the Al Maktoum entourage, Ahmed Al Shaikh has been present at Downs racecourse in Surrey, England, each year to delight in the extraordinary Derby atmosphere.

He was there in 1989 when a horse called Nashwan made history by becoming the first Dubai-owned winner of the great race, when winning in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.

He would relive the experience through three epic years when Erbaab (1994), Lammtarra (1995) and Shaamit (1996) strung together a hattrick of victories for their Dubai connections.

Now, for the first time he has his own runner in the race as Khalifa Sat bids to win the 241st running of the £500,000 English blue riband and allow Dubai businessman Al Shaikh to relish, first-hand, the joys of winning what is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest races.

Trained by Andrew Balding, who will be saddling a career-sixth Derby runner since Bonfire finished sixth in 2012, Khalifa Sat will be ridden by up-and-coming jockey Tom Marquand, having his first ride in Britain’s most famous Classic.

Khalifa Sat will face 15 rivals headed by the big favourite English King — the Listed Derby Trial Stakes winner at Lingfield Park on June 5 — second favourite and 2,000 Guineas hero Kameko and Hampton Court Stakes victor Russian Emperor.

“To own only a few horses but to have a runner in the Derby is so very special,” Al Shaikh told Gulf News in Dubai.

“It is the most prestigious race in the world and the most difficult race to win in the