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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the crown prince of Dubai and the defense minister of the United Arab Emirates. He is also the de-facto ruler of Dubai as he handles the day to day affairs of the emirate in lieu of his elder brother Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who spends most of his time in the United Kingdom.
Sheikh Mohammed is considered the architect of modern Dubai and is projecting Dubai as a major financial centre and business hub in the region. He is considered a modern leader who wishes to take Dubai far ahead. Some of the projects he is credited with include the Palm Project, a $4 billion exercise where two huge expanses of land in the shape of palm trees are reclaimed and thus stick out into the Arabian Gulf and also, the Burj Al Arab hotel, the tallest hotel in the world and one of the most luxurious.
Sheikh Mohammed has carved a name for himself in the equestrian world as a champion endurance rider. His love for horses has encouraged him to host the world's richest horse race, The Dubai World Cup, every year in Dubai. His stables, the Godolphin stables, are considered to be among the finest in the world with several Arabian racehorses and stallions.
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