One of the greatest football managers of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, is so obsessed with his other great passion in life – horses, that these days he prefers to appear at the racecourse in a jersey. many.
He is currently in Bahrain, where the horse he co-owns, Spirit Dancer, a son of the legendary Frankel, will compete in the kingdom’s marquee race, the $1 million International Trophy, on Friday afternoon.
It is the first time he has returned to Bahrain since 1986, when he had just taken over as Manchester United manager, when he took the team to the Gulf to celebrate the birthday of a member of the Royal Club, training and playing in the Bahrain selection eleven. It was when he made a play. family.
And Mr. Ferguson has nothing but praise for the transformation he has witnessed in Saudi Arabia during that time. He loves the experience.
“It’s been great here, the facilities are great, and I think in five or six years this will be one of the top racetracks in the world,” jockey Ferguson said Thursday morning as he watched the geldings being trained.
Such praise and support from a sporting legend will be music to the ears of the organizers, Bahrain Turf Club. The race has been elevated to Group 2 status in just five years, and this renewal has attracted the best ever field from around the world. world.
Ferguson recalled being fascinated by racing at an early age, remembering his father studying form on Saturday mornings. “That’s when the species was determined,” he explained.
He started taking it seriously, more than just a hobby, about 25 years ago when soccer seasons were suspended worldwide.
“I said to my wife, Kathy, ‘Why don’t you go race?'” Ferguson said. “She replied, ‘Where did she get that from?’
“We went to Cheltenham and met two great Irish men, Dessie Scahill, who was a commentator in Ireland, and John Mulhern, who was a great trainer and owner. I was hooked. I bought a horse at Jack Berry and now I have 32 horses.”
In the high-pressure world of football, racing helped distract from the stress of chasing titles and cup glory.
“This is a great sport for me in terms of a release from football,” he told Racing TV.
Ferguson described himself as optimistic about his successes and failures in the race.
“I leave the competitive element to football,” he said. “I don’t question the trainer or get mad if the horse loses. It’s a different sport.
“I can’t tell the horses what to do, but at least I could tell the players what to do.” ” joked about the treatment.
“In that regard, I’m not a critical judge. It’s fun to be in the races, and of course it’s exciting when you win, especially in the big races.”
Spirit Dancer holds a special place in his affections as he was home bred by the stallion he currently owns at Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.
“He was a first-bred and a son of Queen’s Dream-bred Frankel. We did well at stud,” he added.
The four-year-old is being trained at Richard Fahey’s garden in Malton, North Yorkshire.
“We’ve had a great season with him, but it’s a tough race,” Fahey said. “In the Middle East it’s more like Group 1 than Group 2. I’m very happy with him, we’ll see what happens.
“Sir Alex has had a lot of fun this year too. You can tell he’s excited. To be fair to him, he’s been patient so far and he’s reaping the rewards of that patience. That’s what I’m doing.”
Fahey shares Ferguson’s enthusiasm for what Bahrain has to offer.
“It’s an honor to be involved. Bahrain have been very good to us so we have no doubt that we can finish in the first four.”
The most popular top-class horse in the field is trainer Charlie Appleby’s Godolphin’s Nations Pride, a Group 1 winner in Germany and Canada already this year. He was absent from the Breeders’ Cup schedule and raced in Bahrain. William Buick will be driving it.
Aidan O’Brien runs Point Lonsdale with Ryan Moore. The four-year-old, who was highly rated by Ballydoyle, has shown signs of regaining his form this season. Another person to consider is Bill Castle, who was trained by Andre Favre in France.
Updated: November 17, 2023, 6:10 a.m.