Sir Alex Ferguson plunders racing riches as legend wins £1m race for second year

The legendary erstwhile Premier League manager was celebrating successful the Middle East again aft his equine Spirit Dancer won the Bahrain International Trophy

Sir Alex Ferguson plundered much racing riches connected Friday with the unthinkable Spirit Dancer, a equine helium bred and owns.

A prolific rubric victor erstwhile manager of Manchester United, Ferguson pulled disconnected a fewer doubles during his clip with the 13-time Premier League champions.

On Friday helium repeated it connected the racecourse erstwhile Spirit Dancer, a lad of Frankel who was bred by Ferguson, captured the £1 cardinal Bahrain International Trophy.

When Spirit Dancer won the contention astatine Sakhir 12 months ago, helium described it arsenic ‘the champion infinitesimal of my racing life’.

Spirit Dancer, trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by Oisin Orr, went connected the Saudi Arabia wherever helium won the £1.5m Neom Turf Cup.

The seven-year-old gelding had raced lone doubly since owed to wounded but ran down favourite Lead Artist successful consecutive to triumph by a magnitude and a 4th for the ownership of Ferguson, Ged Mason and Fred Done.

Amid past year’s celebrations Ferguson suffered a breached rib aft helium was lifted successful the aerial by a joyous Mason. There was nary repetition this clip with Ferguson admitting helium had astir written disconnected Spirit Dancer aft the equine dropped towards the rear of the field.

“Unreal,” helium said. “He was truthful acold back, I was saying he’s not going to bash it. I don’t cognize wherever helium got it from. The jockey was fantastic.

“I deliberation helium had 4 lengths to drawback the starring equine and helium got there. I’m truthful arrogant of the jockey due to the fact that helium sat motionless. He didn’t panic astatine all. It’s my 2nd astir important triumph successful racing!

Mason referenced Ferguson's precocious woman Cathy, who passed distant aged 84 successful October past year.

He said: “You’d deliberation lightning wouldn’t onslaught doubly but it has today. A fantastic feat what Richard and the squad backmost location person done. A recognition to them to getting him backmost from his injury.

“I’m truthful blessed for this fella who bred him. Last twelvemonth it was a spot of a tonic erstwhile helium sadly mislaid Lady Cathy who helium said rode it past time. I deliberation she rode it again."

Start a escaped period proceedings present of Racing TV to ticker the contention and Cheltenham this play astatine racingtv.com/freetrial