SOME of the richest people on the planet will descend upon Cheltenham this week.
The Festival kicks off on Tuesday, with owners hoping to pocket a few quid with a winner or two.
GettySome of the wealthiest race horse owners in the world will descend upon Cheltenham, including the Wertheimer brothers[/caption]
AFPSheikh Mohammed could also make an appearance – but who is the wealthiest owner?[/caption]
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Now, running a stable and training successful fillies, mares, stallions and colts is no easy gig.
But, when you’re armed with pots of gold – like these billionaires – you have the finances to throw at the sport.
SunSport takes a look at the richest owners in horse racing, which includes two brothers who own Fashion house, Chanel.
We start with No10…
10. Philip Niarchos, £2bn
The Niarchos family’s love of horses stem from their late father Stavros, who was a Greek shipping tycoon.
When he died in 1996, his five children took on the running of the bloodstock of their dad’s empire.
It is son Philip who is heavily involved and is continuing that legacy with his siblings.
Philip is also interested in art – splashing around £2.5million on Jean-Michel Basquiat‘s 1982 Self-Portrait.
9. Marwan Koukash, £2.1bn
Koukash’s story is remarkable – a Palestinian refugee, he moved to the UK as a child and ended up graduating from Liverpool John Moores University and getting a PHD in electrical engineering.
He owns several hotels operated by the Hilton group, and has a training facility in Merseyside – using trainers including Richard Fahey and Kevin Ryan.
Koukash was introduced to horse racing by his bank manager, and by 2012 he had recorded over 100 winners – winning over £1million in prize money.
From 2013-2018, the outspoken businessman dabbled in Rugby League, when he was owner of Salford Red Devils.
Getty Images – GettyOutspoken Marwan Koukash recorded over 100 winners in 2012[/caption]
8. John Magnier, £2.2bn
Magnier, often referred to as ‘The Boss’, is one of the most famous faces in horse racing.
His £2.2bn fortune has been amassed by a business portfolio that includes UK nursing home group Barchester Healthcare, Britain’s biggest pub group, Mitchells & Butlers, and Luttrellstown Castle, where David and Victoria Beckham had their exclusive wedding.
But it’s his Coolmore Stud breeding operation that’s raking it in, and is said to be worth an astonishing £4bn on its own.
Incredibly, that was set up by his ancestors in the 1850s and has been home to champion sires Sadler’s Wells and Danehill.
GettyJohn Magnier owns the castle Victoria and David Beckham had their wedding at[/caption]
Luttrellstown Castle is owned by MagnierEmmylie Cruz & Richard Stokes
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7. Aiywatt Srivaddhanprabha, £2.6bn
The chairman of Leicester City, Aiywatt took on the role after his father Vichai’s tragic death in a helicopter accident.
He also inherited his dad’s love of horses, including the King Power Racing group.
The family have run their horses out of Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere stable since 2017.
The Srivaddhanaprabha’s fortune comes from being Thailand’s leading operator of airport duty free stores.
GettyAiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha is Leicester City’s chairman as well as King Power Racing’s CEO[/caption]
6. Anthony Oppenheimer, £3.7bn
Oppenheimer’s fortune was generated from being one of Britain’s most famous diamond dealers.
He was formerly the president of the De Beers Group, famous for mining and trading diamonds.
The Brit owns Hascome & Valiant Stud in Newmarket.
His most famous horses included Golden Horn, who won the 2015 Epsom Derby and Cracksman, who came out on top in the 2017 Champion Stakes.
PAFrankie Dettori, left, celebrates with winning owner Anthony Oppenheimer after riding Golden Horn to victory[/caption]
5. John Malone, £5.3bn
American Malone is nicknamed the ‘Cable Cowboy’.
He was chief executive officer of Tele-Communications Inc., a cable and media giant, for twenty-four years from 1973 to 1996.
He is now chairman of the Liberty Media Group, which owns Formula 1.
Astonishingly, he is said to own over 2.2million acres of land in the US.
More than 2,200 acres of that is taken up by his famed Bridlewood Farm in Florida, which he bought for a reported £10.3million in 2013.
ReutersAmerican billionaire John Malone is CEO of Liberty Media, which owns Formula 1[/caption]
4. Mohammed Bin Rashad Al Maktoum, £10bn
Better known as ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed, Maktoum owns the Godolphin Stables, which boasts hubs in United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Australia, America and Japan.
His firm has recorded over 5,000 winners worldwide since its inception in 1992.
And with money no object, the competitive owner is happy to spend over £4million to acquire a potentially winning horse, despite already owning more than 1,000 around the world.
Faiza, the half-brother of Group One winner Barney Roy was the Dubai ruler’s personal favourite when he visited Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket in 2019.
His son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who called himself ‘Fazza’, is mates with Cristiano Ronaldo and heir to the Godolphin stable.
GettyRuler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed’s astonishing wealth is estimated to be £10bn[/caption]
InstagramHis son, better known as ‘Fazza’, is mates with Cristiano Ronaldo[/caption]
3. Kirsten Rausing, £10.2bn
Ranked as Britain’s richest woman, Rausing breeds horses at her stud farm Lanwades Stud in Newmarket.
Rausing, whose family was behind Swiss packaging giant Tetra, has enjoyed countless winners domestically and abroad in a 40-year race career.
Her first, and perhaps most famous stallion, was the Nijinsky horse Niniski.
He sired the champion two-year-old Kala Dancer and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Petoski in his first crop of foals.
RACINGFOTOS.COMKirsten Rausing is Britain’s richest woman[/caption]
2. Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, £13bn
Continuing his father’s legacy, Al Nahyan runs the Al Asayl Racing and Equestrian Club in Abu Dhabi.
His astonishing wealth is estimated at around £13bn, and he owns the world’s longest yacht – the Azzam – which is nearly 600ft long and has a value of over £500million.
Last year, his son Sheikh Ahmed became president of UAE Third Division football team, Al Qabila.
They gained a following through TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms, and are now coached by former Newcastle star Steven Taylor.
AFPSheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan runs the Al Asayl Racing and Equestrian Club in Abu Dhabi[/caption]
InstagramHis son Sheikh Ahmed is president of a social media famous football club in UAE[/caption]
The family own the Azzam super yacht – the longest in the world
1. Alain & Gerard Wertheimer, £25bn
The Wertheimer brothers control French fashion giant Chanel and are worth close to £25billion.
The private pair, who rarely give interviews, inherited the company from their father Jacques, as well as a horse racing business.
It’s La Presle Farm – also known as Wertheimer Farm – in the US that seems to give them the most pleasure, with a load of Conditions race winners coming from that stable.
Their biggest success came with Goldikova, who became the only horse to ever win a Breeders’ Cup event three times when she won the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
GettyAlain Wertheimer and his brother Gerard Wertheimer are horse racing’s wealthiest owners[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
