Popular racehorse owner and businessman Mohammed “Nankoo” Shariff passes on

Dec 15, 2015 Sports

The horseracing fraternity and the business community in Guyana has lost a stalwart with the passing of popular horseracing and businessman Mohammed Shariff popularly known as “Nankoo”.

Mohammed “Nankoo” Shariff

Shariff of No4 Village West Coast Berbice Guyana’s died on Sunday evening in the United States of America where he was flown to after taking ill at home. He was reportedly suffering from complications including heart and kidney problems. Although he was ill, his passing came as a shock to most in Guyana.
Mr. Shariff, a much beloved owner and personality on the racing scene, played an integral role in raising the competitive level of racing with many of his champion horses. The likes of Dubai Dutchess, Silent Night, Ferry Landing, Majestic, Damascus Dream, Swing Easy, Storm in a tea cup, Swing Easy, Settle In Seattle, California Strike and of late Witchy Poo, Plum Plum, Princess She Not and Spit Fire.
“Nankoo”, as he is affectionately known, was a popular business man as he was a racehorse owner. A large scale rice and live stock farmer with herds of cattle, goats, sheep, birds among other lives stocks, he also has his stable and a large farm at No6 village West Coast Berbice. A large workshop is also located at his No 4 residence.
A re-migrant Guyanese, he re-entered the horseracing arena with telling effect, with his stable rising to be among the top stables in Guyana.
Shariff was a fixture at almost every race meet, even fighting illnesses to be at the track. Never one to raise his voice or engage in the usual horse trading of words, Mr. Shariff was always racing’s gentleman; preferring to make his point with winning many of racing’s features.
Shariff was definitely the “Man of the Meeting”, mild mannered, humble and approachable in any situation, he could be found at a race meeting sitting quietly under his broad “Sheriff” hat all by himself.
Once, asked for his opinion on a wrangle of words between horse owners, Shariff exclaimed, “me nah get in dem things, me ah race horse and win”.
Over the past year there is not a horseracing event or activity in Guyana that the name Shariff was not associated with and like a true “Sheriff” his racing entity had been moving in leaps and bounds. The racing entity had not only been racing horses, but had also been associated with sponsorship, training and breeding and organizing its own race meets.
One of the largest racing stable in Guyana, second only to the Jumbo Jet, Shariff has had his animals in full training for the upcoming Guyana Cup Rematch horse race meet set for next Sunday with a promised 14 entries.
He had stated that horseracing takes a lot of hard work and money and some luck to be successful. It is not always smooth sailing as Shariff himself could attest. He had stated that horseracing do not make money in Guyana. And he was in the business basically as a form of relaxation and fun.
He recently spoke out against the PPP that owed horse owners millions of dollars.
Kaieteur Sport joins with the rest of the horseracing fraternity and business community in offering sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Mohammed “Nankoo” Shariff. (Samuel Whyte)