5.Who was Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai royal behind Jebel Ali Racecourse

Mon, Sep 21, 2026 | Rabi al-Thani 11, 1448 | Fajr 04:50|DXB 31.6°C

On Monday, September 21, 2026, Dubai mourned Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who passed away at the age of 76. An official 10-day mourning period, beginning today, was declared with flags to be flown at half-mast across the emirate.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the fourth and youngest son of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who was the former Vice-President and Ruler of Dubai and the emirate’s founder. He held top roles in Dubai's security, sports and business sectors, from public security to horse racing and real estate.

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Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was the Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security, Group Chairman of A.R.M. Holding, and President of Al Wasl Sports Club.

He is the fourth and youngest son of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, former Ruler of Dubai, and the youngest brother of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK before joining Dubai's Central Military Command, later becoming its Commander-in-Chief, according to Al Wasl Sports Club's official website.

Sheikh Ahmed specified the technical design of Jebel Ali Racecourse alongside trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam. The track and grandstand were built in 1990, with the first racing season held in 1991, according to the Emirates Racing Authority.

He owns the adjoining Jebel Ali Stables. Authority figures put his record as an owner at 614 wins from 4,475 runs, a strike rate of 13.7 per cent.

WAM, the Emirates News Agency, has documented his continued patronage of international races run under his name, including one held at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland.

He has also been associated with Al Wasl Sports Club since the early 1960s, when the club was known as Al Zamalek, and has chaired its board since then, according to the club's official website.

On the business side, Sheikh Ahmed chairs A.R.M. Holding, a private investment firm whose portfolio spans real estate, hospitality and banking, alongside newer sectors including healthtech, sustainable food, mobility, fintech and cultural initiatives, according to the company's official website.

Its real estate portfolio includes three main brands: Dubai Real Estate Centre, which manages more than 3,200 residential and commercial units; Huna, a developer combining architecture, culture and commerce; and Hive Coliv, a flexible co-living operator.

Under his patronage, Dubai Real Estate Centre has delivered several notable projects since its founding in 1991, including The Beach Centre, the first mall built on Jumeirah's beach road in 1993, and Palm Spring Village, Dubai's first gated community, comprising 145 villas in Al Sufouh, according to the company's official website.

The centre also delivered Dubai Creek Tower in 1995, the first landmark at Deira Creek and the second-tallest building in Dubai at the time.

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