Sheikh Mohammed led the tributes to Michael Osborne, a former senior steward of the Irish Turf Club and leading figure in international racing, who died on Wednesday after a short illness at the age of 71.

World Racing Series champion jockey Frankie Dettori fears the Japanese challenge as he prepares to travel to Hong Kong for Sunday’s Audemars Piguet QEII Cup, the second leg of this year’s championship.

Hawkeye, the Hong Kong Cup fourth, has been selected to contest the Group One Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji in May.