In the pantheon of promotional stakes, owned by Sir Alex Ferguson Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) winning the $1 million G2 Bahrain International Trophy would have ranked pretty high as a dream result for everyone involved in this relatively new race.
It was a big deal to have one of the world’s most famous sports figures in attendance all week, but the Spirit Dancers were able to compete in a similar way to some of the best teams Ferguson assembled as manager of Manchester United. Playing with them exceeded all expectations.
During his 26 years at Manchester United, he managed the careers of some of football’s biggest names, including Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, and won 38 trophies without being a master of his trade. Not that you can.
But Mr Ferguson has been nothing but warm to people who politely asked him to take a picture with him in Bahrain this week, or simply to remind him of past glories. The 81-year-old’s reaction to meeting Spirit Dancer, who is in charge of the Group 1 field, was one of the joys of the Scotsman’s victory, which he rates as the greatest in the history of the race.
“This is definitely the best in horse racing history,” Ferguson said shortly after Spirit Dancer finished by two lengths over the John and Sadie Gosden-trained horse. Isral (UK) (Muharral {GB}) came in second place. Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) A close third. ”
he continued. “I was worried when you saw the field. You’re meeting Godolphin and five. [Aidan] O’Brien has a runner. [Andre] Favre keeps horses there. And we are a stable just a short distance from Yorkshire.
“He won well too, very well. It was Gedo. [Mason] At 100 yards away I saw who jumped on me and it looked as if I was going to win, but at that point I’m not counting chickens, I’m just praying. He took me over the line. ”
“I said @OrrOisin go there to remember him [Spirit Dancer] This is Frankel. ”
Sir Alex Ferguson is @RichardFahey– Trained the Spirit Dancer as the “best of all time”. pic.twitter.com/ayHovfeR72
— Brian Sheerin (@BrianSheerin91) November 17, 2023
Ferguson has had some success in racing. Few will forget his association with Coolmore in the late 1990s and early 1990s, when he rose to prominence at the Rock of Gibraltar (Aire), but these days he has concentrated on jumping, working with trainer Paul He enjoyed much success as a member of the Klan along with Nichols and Dan Skelton. respectively, Des Obaux (France), What a Friend (UK), and Protectrat (France).
But Spirit Dancer, trainer Richard Fahey’s six-year-old horse, is one of the first horses to graduate from the owner’s stud farm at Hemel Hempstead, marking the latest chapter in the Ferguson jockey’s racing endeavors. It represents.
Ferguson explained: “He was my first foal. To be honest, it was a new adventure for me to get into breeding. I bought a mare from Germany. She lives in Hemel Hempstead and comes from a good family. I’m from
“The first foal was Frankel, and that’s why we’re here today. There were other horses that did well, but Frankel was great. I said to Oisin, [Orr, jockey] go there to remember him [Spirit Dancer] This is Frankel. ”
He added, “And the hospitality here was amazing. I know I was signing a lot of autographs and taking a lot of pictures, but it’s just a picture and it only takes a second, so you We shouldn’t ignore people, especially children, who ask for pictures. Things like that require patience, and I’ve always shown that. It’s amazing, it’s incredible.”
Some of the brilliant work Fahey did with Spirit Dancer may have been lost on this occasion. He delivered the horse in top condition on the big day, and although the trainer admitted he was a little surprised at how easy it was, he was extremely pleased with the result.
Fahey said, “It was an easy race to watch because I always felt like we could win. Once he got in front he wouldn’t stop and it would take a good shot to beat us. Nothing fancy was ahead of us. We passed by and they almost never come back. It’s really satisfying. It’s a special moment for everyone. We saw the trophy the other day and it was like the FA Cup. “Sir Alex is used to lifting the FA Cup. It was a great result.”
As for his future plans, regarding the G2 Neom Turf Cup qualifying, he added, “We had talked about going to Saudi Arabia in February, but I’m going to see how I run today.” I have a horse and I’m going on a trip, so let’s see how it comes back. It was a tough race and I really thought he needed to step up, but it was a comfortable race to watch. That’s a big moment for me. There were winners at Royal Ascot as well, but Sir Alex made it a great and fulfilling week. He didn’t put pressure on me or the horse or anyone. It was “Let’s have fun.” He is an absolute gentleman. He’s a great person with some great stories. ”
This victory was also a special success for jockey Oisin Orr. The Classic-winning pilot decided to join the Fahey stable earlier this year due to a lack of rides in his native Ireland, but the Donegal great has never looked back.
He said, “It was a big price to pay for this horse, but I think Richard really gave him a break after winning three races in a short period of time, so he really needed that final push.” So Richard got him a spot for today because he needed it in Newmarket.
“I actually thought he would arrive a little earlier. He just gallops — he’s tough and he was very good today. It’s about as good as my best days in racing. Here it is. When you come and get a big win like that, you never complain. Hopefully it works out.”
He added: “It was great to have the opportunity to come to England to ride Richard Fahey this year and I haven’t looked back since.” So it’s great to go and win a million pound race. ”
There’s one thing Orr didn’t tell Ferguson during all the commotion. He is a Liverpool fan. But something tells me that even that couldn’t express the brilliance of this entire event.
pedigree notes
The gelding, who won the G3 Strensall Stakes and finished fourth in last month’s G3 Darley Stakes, is part of Frankel’s battalion of 133 stakes winners and one of 91 grand prize winners. . The horse is bred from the same breeding as G1 Delaforet Prize winner Kelina (Ireland), G2 Sandringham Prize winner Obligate (UK), and fellow major prize winners Eternal Pearl (UK) and Delaware (UK), all of whom are daughters. There is no one. Juddmonte’s classmate Oasis Dream (UK).
Spirit Dancer, the third offspring and one of five winners from her unraced dam Queen’s Dream (Germany) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is the best of them all. His one-year-old half-brother is Masar (Ire). Queen’s Dream is a sister to a quartet of stakes winners led by full-brother, Group 1 winner and sire Kerali (Germany) (Oasis Dream {GB}), and half-sister and multiple Group winner Kidura (GB) (Dubawi). is. {Ire}) is the G2 German 1000 Guineas heroine Quebrada (Ire) (Devil’s Bag), his third dam of US Spirit Dancer and his three-time top finisher.
Friday, Sakhir, Bahrain
Bahrain International Trophy-G2$1,000,000, Sakhir, 11-17, 3y/y, 2000mT, 2:06.82, gd.
1-SPIRIT DANCER (GB), 128, g, 6, by Frankel (GB)
1st dam: Queen’s Dream (Germany), Oasis Dream (UK)
Second dam: by Ketena (Ger), Acatenango (Ger)
Third Mother: Quebrada (Ire), by Devil’s Bag
Audun Ferguson Mason.Sir Alex Ferguson & Niall
McLoughlin; T-Richard Fahey; J-Oisin Orr; $600,000.lifetime
Record: GSW-Eng, 23 wins, 7 losses, 6 draws, 2 losses, $906,075. Worknik rating:
Oh +++. *Triple Plus*. Click to eNicks report and 5 crosses
Pedigree. Click to Free Equineline.com catalog format
Pedigree.
2–Isral (UK)128, c, 4, Muharrar (GB) – Taguruda (GB), by the sea.
Stars (Ire). O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited; T-John
&Sadie Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. 200,000 dollars.
3–Point Lonsdale (Ire)128, c, 4, Australia (GB) – Sweepstakes
(Ire), by Acclamation (GB). (575,000gns Ylg ’20 TATOCT).
O-Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor,
Westerberg. B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd; T-Aidan O’Brien.Jay Ryan
Moore; $100,000.
Margin: 2 1/4, SHD, NK.
Also runs: Real World (Ire), Bill Castle (Fr), Astro King (Ire), Nations Pride (Ire), Above the Curve, California, Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire), Highland Avenue (Ire),. Carder (Aire), Dubai Future (UK), Rayfayette (Aire). Scratch: Goemon (GB), Tawaarek (Ire), Zagato (GB). Click to Bahrain Turf Club Chart.
video.
Spirit dancer 🔴⚪️
Spirit Dancer, owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, produced a deflating run from off the pace to win the $1 million Bahrain International Trophy in spectacular fashion! 🇧🇭@RichardFahey | @ged_mason | @Bahrain Turf Club pic.twitter.com/dGcfgM2FF9
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 17, 2023