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| Staff Writer |
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson achieved his first-ever success in the Gr.2 Bahrain International Trophy, with Spirit Dancer storming to victory in the 2000m turf contest. The 6YO son of Frankel, was running outside of handicaps for only the third time in his career and had previously won the Gr.3 Strensall Stakes at York's Ebor Festival. Trained by Richard Fahey, the gelding ran towards the rear of the field before charging ahead in the straight. Oisin Orr, the jockey, expertly manoeuvred around a wall of horses, enabling Spirit Dancer to kick clear and win by two and a quarter length.
The victory marked a significant improvement for Spirit Dancer, showcasing his talent and potential in Group company at the age of six. Despite being beaten in his subsequent start at Newmarket, the horse arrived in Bahrain with confidence, bolstered by his impressive win at York. Ferguson and Ged Mason, co-owners of Spirit Dancer, made the journey to watch the race and were rewarded with a thrilling victory. The duo experienced little anxiety during the race as Spirit Dancer steadily progressed towards the front of the pack before making his move in the straight.
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Spirit Dancer's performance was truly exceptional. Running towards the rear of the 14-horse field, the gelding was urged to quicken by Oisin Orr as they made the turn. Aidan O’Brien’s Point Lonsdale initially led the pack but was unable to withstand Spirit Dancer's surge. Orr expertly guided Spirit Dancer, swinging him wide before closely tracking Point Lonsdale. With a little over 200m left, Spirit Dancer overtook Point Lonsdale and comfortably secured a two-and-a-quarter length victory. Shadwell-owned Israr came in second, narrowly beating Point Lonsdale into third place.
The jubilant 81YO, Sir Alex Ferguson, expressed his delight at the victory, describing it as the best moment ever in racing. “That is the best ever, without doubt. Against all the pedigrees and form of all the other horses – that’s fantastic, I couldn’t believe it,” Ferguson told RacingTV.
“Richard said to leave it to the jockey, he’ll be all right. I was terrified looking at all the other people involved in this race. Godolphin had five horses in it. That was great, I’m so proud.
“I said to the jockey ‘remember, he’s a Frankel’.”
The victory held great significance for Richard Fahey, who joked that it meant US$1 million to him, adding, “I’m on cloud nine, it's fantastic.”
“It was in my mind all year to come here, but I thought it would be an easier race. I thought he'd win but not beat the field he did today.”
Fahey lauded Bahrain for its hospitality and also expressed gratitude for Sir Alex Ferguson's commitment to attending the race.
Spirit Dancer's victory in the Gr.2 Bahrain International Trophy marked a milestone for both Sir Alex Ferguson and co-owner Ged Mason. The horse, co-owned by Ferguson, Mason, and Peter Done, provided them with their biggest flat racing win. This win resonated with Ferguson's previous achievements in horse ownership, having owned famous horses like Rock of Gibraltar, the dual English and Irish 2,000 Guineas hero.
The strong field in the Bahrain International Trophy included competitors from five different countries and three Group One winners, making the victory even more impressive. The race was also more valuable than ever following an increase in the prize fund to US$1m and the race’s status being upgraded to Group Two level.
“It was a fantastic run by Israr and we were delighted that he could perform to such a high level, against three previous Group One winners – it was truly an international field and as I say we were thrilled with Israr’s run, said Shadwell’s racing manager, Angus Gold.
“As far as I know he has pulled fine after the race; we had agreed we would study the programme in the Gulf region as we would like to bring him back there in February or March next year, depending on Sheikha Hissa’s wishes, so all being well he will be on his travels again early next year.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t come to Bahrain so I can’t comment on the facilities – all I have heard is how well-organised everything was and that everybody was beautifully looked after,” said Gold.
Commenting on whether he had any firm plans for Shadwell horses this season he said, “At this stage, we don’t have any other horses to target for races in The Gulf, other than those already being trained in Dubai, and plans for them will become more obvious in the New Year.”
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In an interview with Great British Racing International (GBRI), Richard Fahey expressed his delight for the co-owners, highlighting their patience and dedication to the horse, which had earned them this momentous reward.
Spirit Dancer capped a season of remarkable progress with his most complete performance to date.
Fahey also shared the challenges Spirit Dancer faced earlier in the week, revealing that the horse had been warm and not in top form.
“He didn't have a good start this week, he was very warm the first day and didn't look great the first couple of days. The best he's looked funnily enough is today when I went up to stick the saddle on him,” said Fahey.
Co-owner Ged Mason considered this to be Spirit Dancer’s biggest win on the flat. He attributed the victory's significance to Sir Alex Ferguson having bred Spirit Dancer. He felt that Sir Alex’s belief in Spirit Dancer and his careful selection of both the stallion and trainer proved instrumental in the horse's success and the result reverberated his belief in his horse and his choice of stallion for the mating.
“I have a friend who worked for Juddmonte. He helped to organise the cover, which was fantastic. Now you see Frankel stands for US$4,38,980.50. So, we are very lucky,” said Sir Alex.
“We wanted someone we could visit quickly rather than going south. So, we chose Richard [Fahey]. He is a marvellous trainer. He looked after the horse well, was always informative with how he was doing, and he got us to Bahrain,” he added.
Overall, Spirit Dancer's victory in the Gr.2 Bahrain International Trophy was a momentous occasion for both Sir Alex Ferguson and co-owner Ged Mason. The triumph emphasized Spirit Dancer's potential in Group company and cemented his status as one to watch in the racing world.
By Pallavi Shevade
Distance 1m 5f (2,615 metres), Surface Turf, Track Right-hand "L", Qualification Three-year-olds, Weight 9 st 1 lb, Allowances,3 lb for fillies, Penalties,5 lb for G1 / G2 winners *,3 lb for G3 winners *,* after 2018, Purse £196,740 (2022),1st: £113,420
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