Veteran UAE horse racing journalist Taha passes away

Mohammed Taha, the Arabic Editor of Al Adiyat magazine, passed away in Dubai on Sunday. Taha has been associated with the sport since its inception in the UAE in the early nineties and has been a pivotal member of the core management team behind the successful Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR), created by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

 “For all of us at Al Adiyat, Mohammed was one of the first voices we heard every morning at office,” said Obaid Saif Al Zaabi, Chairman of Human Resource (Al Adiyat) and a veteran horse racing administrator.

“He had a extraordinary work ethic, until illness got the better of him a couple of years ago.”

Taha also assisted the Godolphin website with their Arabic translations, focused on breaking news, interviews and features on major horse racing personalities.

“He carried his passion for journalism and horse racing everywhere he went,” added Zaabi, who spent many years travelling to major racing venues with his friend, Taha.

“He worked hard and diligently, but still found the time to be friendly and nice to his colleagues.

“He was a gentleman and will be missed very dearly.

“It’s a very sad day of all of us involved in the horse racing business.”

Meanwhile, UAE racing legend and Grand National winner as a jockey, Pat Buckley is on the road to recovery in hospital in Abu Dhabi after being released from intensive care following treatment for pneumonia and an intestinal problem.

His son Kevin, Coolmore’s British representative, confirmed his father had tested negative for Covid-19, and he is making positive progress.

“He’s steadily making improvement and he was able to come out of the intensive care unit yesterday, which was a massive relief as we were very worried,” Kevin added

Buckley, 76, partnered outsider Ayala to victory in the 1963 Grand National at Aintree.