Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson was back in Britain by Monday after enjoying a second major international victory with his homebred Spirit Dancer (GB) at the Saudi Cup meeting in Riyadh. "It's been fantastic. He's an improving horse. As a younger horse he had some issues but now he seems to be getting better every year," Ferguson told TDN.  "In his races in Bahrain and Saudi there was no catching him. There's no end to him at the moment. The next question is can he go a mile and four furlongs? That...

A passion that was held against him by some, 20 years ago, has given Sir Alex Ferguson a new universe of pleasure. They say there are no second acts in the lives of the famous - but you would have disputed that after seeing the former Manchester United manager's Spirit Dancer (GB) win the Howden Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh on Saturday night. Ferguson's greatest thrill as a manager was to spot and develop young talent. David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and the Neville brothers were products of Ferguson's...

A properly international Saudi Cup meeting saw the major races claimed by stables from  Japan, America, Britain and Ireland. A clash with two rugby internationals will have had plenty of viewers indulging in some channel-hopping, but for some of racing's most crucial workers - those on stud farms - the work can't just be put aside for an afternoon on the sofa. Such was the case for Greg and Lottie Parsons of Upperwood Farm Stud in Hertfordshire, who had a "36-hour day" on Saturday, having been up all night foaling....

Saturday marked the fifth edition of the blockbuster G1 Saudi Cup, with Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) racing into the history books as another American-trained winner of the $20-million race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Connections of horses worldwide benefitted from the $33.5 million in purses on offer throughout the card, with Europe claiming a trio of wins, and Japan two victories on a night that is rapidly becoming one of the can't-miss events of the year in international racing. Sir Alex Ferguson, best known for his Manchester United...

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has long been a racehorse owner but he has also become immersed in the breeding world since his retirement from football. On Saturday, his homebred Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who Ferguson races in partnership with Ged Mason and Peter Done, lines up in the $2-million G2 Howden Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard. The seven-year-old, trained by Richard Fahey, has been wintering in the Middle East, where he won the G2 Bahrain International Trophy in November before finishing fourth in...

Bahraini group winner Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been confirmed for the 2100-metre $2-million G2 Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard on Saturday, Feb. 24. Owned by the partnership of Done/Ferguson/Mason, the gelding won the G3 Strensall S. last August before taking the G2 Bahrain International Trophy two starts later in November. Given some time off, he made his 7-year-old bow in the G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan on Jan. 26, running on to be fourth behind Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}). "I was delighted to get...

The third year of the 10-race Bahrain Turf Series begins at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club on Friday. In November, Sir Alex Ferguson scored a memorable win with Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the $1-million G2 Bahrain International Trophy. A pair of owners who also have backgrounds in football, Michael Owen and Harry Redknapp, have runners in one of the first races of the Bahrain Turf Series, the Al Muharraq Cup By Texel Air over 2000 metres on the grass. Trainer Phil McEntee sends out the gelding Moktasaab...

In the pantheon of the promotional stakes, the Sir Alex Ferguson-owned Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) winning the $1 million G2 Bahrain International Trophy would have ranked pretty highly as a dream result for everyone associated with this relatively new race.  To have one of the most recognisable sporting figures in the world in attendance all week was something, but for Spirit Dancer to play with his rivals in a similar fashion to some of the best teams Ferguson assembled at the helm of Manchester United exceeded all expectations.  You...

Charlie Appleby says Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) will line out in Friday's $1m Bahrain International Trophy with a favourite's chance but admitted that stall 12 could make things tricky for the dual Group 1 winner as Godolphin ready a five-strong team for the Group 2 contest. Last seen winning the G1 Canadian International in October, Nations Pride will be joined by stablemate Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), with William Buick opting to ride the former in his bid to win the race for a first time. Appleby said, "Nations...