SHEIKH Ahmed Al Maktoum has enjoyed plenty of Group 1 victories in his distinctive colours, and the first to carrying them with distinction was Mtoto.

At the Curragh he won an Irish Oaks with Possessive Dancer and Pretty Polly Stakes with Nezwaah, while Tobougg, Ameerat, Nahrain, Addeybb and the 2024 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka have been others among his winners at racing’s top table. This year Almaqam (Lope De Vega), trained by Ed Walker, joined the stellar list when he won the Tattersalls Gold Cup, and will attempt to add to it in this afternoon’s Irish Champion Stakes.