Sir Ellice Victor Elias Sassoon was born 20 (some sources cite 30) December 1881 in Naples, Kingdom of Italy while his family was en route to India.

He was from a Baghdadi Jewish family which dealt successfully in all sorts of commodities like precious metals, silks, gums, spices, wool and wheat.

[citation needed] In the 1920s and 1930s, he transferred much of his wealth from India to Shanghai, China and contributed to a real estate boom there by investing millions of US dollars in the local economy.

He was also fond of horse racing, Chinese ivories (his vast collection was eventually bequeathed to the British Museum in 2018[3]), international friendships and travel.

He counted members of the aristocracy and such Hollywood stars as Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Basil Rathbone and Bette Davis among his acquaintances.

He also spent time in the remote town of Hillsboro, New Mexico, located about a three-hour drive north of El Paso, Texas.

[5] Late in life he married his American nurse, Evelyn "Barnsie" Barnes, who remained in Nassau long after Sassoon's death in 1961.

Lady Sassoon continued to provide support for the charity founded by her late husband to help Bahamian children, by hosting the black-tie Heart Ball each year over the Valentine's Day weekend.

Despite successful production rates, the firm decided to dispose of the mills in Bombay in 1943, fearing problems as foreign owners once independence was granted.

It is thought that Nassau was chosen because there were no forms of personal or corporation tax in place and Sir Victor Sassoon planned to live there, which he did until his death in 1961.

The stallion tradition was maintained when the stud was purchased again in 1981 by Mr Yong Nam-Seng of Singapore, being home to Damister and, for a short time, his champion son Celtic Swing, as well as Bin Ajwaad, Superlative and Sayf el Arab.

[9] Among Sir Victor Sassoon's stables' significant performances were wins in The Derby (Pinza, Crepello, Hard Ridden, St. Paddy), Epsom Oaks (Exhibitionnist), 1,000 Guineas (Exhibitionnist, Honeylight), 2,000 Guineas (Crepello), St. Leger Stakes (St Paddy) and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Pinza).