(CNN) It's been dubbed the "Sport of Kings" -- and no wonder given the number of royal families investing in horse racing and competing across the world.
It's not just for Kings of course. Queen Elizabeth owns several top thoroughbreds and has never missed a day at Royal Ascot -- one of the highlights of Britain's racing and social calendar -- since her coronation 64 years ago.
And then there's Princess Haya bint Hussein of Jordan, a former Olympic show jumper and former president of the International Equestrian Federation, who won the $5 million Breeders' Cup as an owner with Raven's Pass in 2008.
But it's Princess Haya's husband, the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who dominated the royal racing scene in 2017.
Data compiled by myracing.com shows that the Sheikh and various other members of the Al Maktoum family won close to 350 races during the year -- that's more than every other royal family combined -- and racked up more than $14 million in prize money.
They entered a remarkable 1,811 races with horses mainly registered to their UK-based Goldophin Stables and also those owned by the Sheikh's son, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth greets Sheikh Mohammed and his wife in Ascot's Royal Box.
In a racing career spanning four decades, Sheikh Mohammed has won thousands of races all over the globe and founded the Dubai World Cup in 1996.
However, myracing.com's "Royal Racer" analysis only takes into account flat turf entries at British racecourses, an arena in which the Al Maktoum family has been no less successful.
As a youngster, the Sheikh used to ride bareback on Dubai's Jumeirah Beach and he attended his first proper flat race in 1967 at Newmarket in England while studying at Cambridge University.
He tasted success as an owner for the first time a decade later and his racing empire has been growing ever since.
Racing passion -- Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum at Royal Ascot in 1987.
The best of the Flat racing season in 2017
Flat racing in the UK and Ireland enjoyed another vintage season with stunning performances, inspiring stories and plenty of color. Click through the gallery for a flavor of 2017.
The first Classic of the season was the 2000 Guineas, won by Ryan Moore onboard Churchill, at Newmarket. The Group 1 race run over a mile is for three-year-old colts and fillies.
The following day at Newmarket, Wayne Lordon rode Winter to victory in the 1000 Guineas, a Group 1 race over a mile for three-year-old fillies.
At Epsom in June, veteran jockey Frankie Dettori onboard Enable stormed home in the Oaks, the third Classic of the year. The race for three-year-old fillies is run over 1 mile, 4 furlongs and comes the day before the Derby.
Derby Day at Epsom is a huge occasion in the sporting and cultural calendar, attracting racegoers from all walks of life.
Irish jockey Padraig Beggy rode trainer Aidan O'Brien's huge outsider Wings Of Eagles (left) to victory in the Derby, finishing ahead of Cliffs Of Moher (center).
It was redemption of sorts for Beggy, who had been banned for a year in Australia in 2014 for a positive urine sample that showed traces of cocaine, and for subsequently giving false evidence.
With Royal Ascot approaching, horses return though the woods after working on the Warren Hill gallops at Newmarket.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, opened Royal Ascot 2017 with the traditional procession up the course.
On day two The Queen delivered her traditional speech at the State Opening of Parliament before making a quick change into a vivid yellow dress to attend Royal Ascot, without the Duke of Edinburgh who had been admitted to hospital with an infection.
Jockey Ryan Moore rode Highland Reel to victory in the feature race of the day, the Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Ladies Day at Royal Ascot brought a stunning mix of color and high fashion to the Berkshire racecourse, west of London.
Horse racing has been held at the famous course since 1711 and tradition is a hallmark of the meeting. Top hats and tails remain compulsory in parts of the course, while there are strict rules governing headwear.
Big Orange, ridden by James Doyle, won the Gold Cup, the feature race on Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot.
The Queen is a huge horse racing enthusiast and has her own runners in the famous royal silks.
Royal Ascot is another celebration of the British sporting summer. Even the bookies get involved.
Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey is the venue in early July for the prestigious Group 1 Eclipse Stakes, won by Ulysses for Sir Michael Stoute.
Ascot features again in late July when the feature race of the meeting is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
John Gosden's star filly Enable followed up wins in the English and Irish Oaks with a dominant King George victory under Frankie Dettori, who said he lost seven pounds in six days to make the weight. Ulysses was a distant second.
All eyes are on Glorious Goodwood in the first week of August. The spectacular course perched high on the South Downs outside Chichester on England's south coast is another iconic venue.
The betting market is as strong as ever at Goodwood.
Frankie Dettori rode Lancelot Du Lac (left) to victory in the esteemed Stewards Cup on a stormy day five of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
In early September, Laytown in County Meath, Ireland, hosts a unique meeting on the beach.
Laytown is unique in the Irish racing calendar as the only event run on a beach under the Rules of Racing.
The Leopardstown track, south of Dublin, hosted the prestigious Irish Champion Stakes in September, won by Decorated Knight for trainer Roger Charlton.
Ryan Moore rode Capri (centre, in purple) to victory in the final British Classic of the year, the St Leger at Doncaster.
In the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October, Dettori rode four-year-old filly Persuasive to her first win of the season.
Later that day, Dettori also rode a winner in the Champions Stakes, guiding the favorite Cracksman home with ease.
It was Robert Winston aboard Librisa Breeze that triumphed in the the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes, also held at Ascot in October.
The Sheikh established Goldophin in 1992 and it's fair to say that he's dominated British flat racing ever since.
He's personally been crowned Champion Owner nine times, while Godolphin has taken the title on 11 occasions and his son, Hamdan Al Maktoum, is a six-time winner.
As of December 15, Godolphin is again top of the standings and on course to collect yet another title thanks largely to the current star horse of the stables, Ribchester, who picked up two big wins at Newbury and Royal Ascot this year worth a combined $790,000.
Godolphin's Ribchester won the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2017.
There to witness Ribchester's Ascot victory was the Queen, who has a longstanding interest in horse breeding and is said to read the Racing Post newspaper every morning over breakfast.
She's had 18 winners from 85 races of her own in 2017, which places the Queen fourth in the "Royal Racers" ranking.
Queen Elizabeth has attended every Royal Ascot since her coronation in 1953.
Ranked second is Saudi Arabia's House of Saud, which weighs in with more than $2.8 million in prize money and the most impressive win ratio of the lot.
Prince Khalid Abdullah Al Saud is the owner of the prestigious Juddmonte Farms and has enjoyed phenomenal success with some of the best horses in history, most notably British thoroughbred, Frankel, who was unbeaten in his 14-year career and generated more than $4 million in winnings.
Khalid Abdulla (R) with Frankel's trainer, the late Henry Cecil, in 2011.
One of the greats -- Frankel wins the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in 2011.
This year, the house of Al Saud entered a fraction of the races that Dubai did (240), but secured 53 victories -- a 22.08% win ratio.
Qatar's House of Thani entered nearly 200 more races (436) and won 68 of them but their winnings of nearly $2.5 million, while not to be sniffed at, put it in third.
Sheikh Fahad Al Thani is a keen amateur jockey and recently competed in a charity race at Ascot against former England international football player, Michael Owen.
Sheikh Fahad Al Thani riding in an amateur race at Newmarket at 2016.
The Queen is next on the list with just under $530,000 and the second best winning percentage of 21.18%.
It was revealed earlier this year that the 91-year-old monarch, who was British Champion Owner in 1954 and 1957, has won over $8.8 million in the past three decades, making her the 11th most successful flat racing owner in that period.
She has won all but one of the five British classic races -- the Epsom Derby is the only one to elude her.
The Queen with her horse, Estimate, who won the 2013 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
Meanwhile the Malaysian Sultanate of Pahang and Kuwait's House of Sabah each racked up five wins in 2017.
Princess Haya, who first represented Jordan at showjumping at just 13 years old, entered far fewer races that her fellow royals (19), but still earned nearly $42,000 from her two victories.
Jordan's Princess is a former Olympic show jumper.
The most successful non-royal owner is the syndicate of Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor, which accrued an impressive $9.4 million during 2017.
Horses registered solely to this group won 25 races out of 108 entries, which gives it a 23.1% win ratio -- better than any of the royals.
Queen presents the Ascot Gold Cup to winning owners Derek Smith, John Magnier and Michael Tabor in 2014.
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Clearly owning a race horse can prove to be a good business investment but the myracing.com statistics also show that 1,452 out of 5,413 registered owners won no prize money at all this year.