Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, has donated his US$6 million winnings from the Dubai World Cup to help autistic children. “I am pleased to announce that I have donated the Dubai World Cup prize to the Dubai Autism Centre,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote on his Twitter page on Sunday. “I am optimistic for what the Dubai Autism Centre will achieve socially and medically for children with autism.” On Saturday night at Meydan Racecourse, Sheikh Hamdan’s horse Prince Bishop, ridden by William Buick, won the feature event, earning the lion’s share of $10m (Dh36.7m). It was the fourth try in the world’s richest race for the eight-year-old horse. Sheikh Hamdan is chairman of the centre, whose mission is to help children with autism integrate into the community through intervention and therapy, and create social awareness. Founded in 2001, the centre operates as a non-profit organisation and is one of the largest of its kind in the UAE. Sheikh Hamdan’s donation comes days before World Autism Awareness Day, on April 2. Autism is a group of developmental disorders characterised by impaired social interaction and communication problems. It affects an estimated one in 146 births, the centre says.
