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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Greg Wood at Cheltenham

Spirit Dancer ensures Fergie time is well spent in retirement for Sir Alex

Spirit Dancer and jockey Oisin Orr with Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and Richard Fahey (right) after the Bahrain International Trophy.
Spirit Dancer and jockey Oisin Orr with Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and Richard Fahey (right) after the Bahrain International Trophy. Photograph: Steven Cargill/racingfotos.com/Shutterstock

Sir Alex Ferguson has often seemed to lead a charmed existence on the turf since his retirement from football management and he enjoyed another memorable afternoon on Friday with an international double worth a total of around £500,000 in prize money in the space of just 70 minutes.

First, the novice hurdler Potters Charm carried the former Manchester United manager’s colours to a decisive victory in a Grade Two novice hurdle at Cheltenham’s prestigious November meeting. Ferguson himself, though, was in Bahrain to see his seven-year-old gelding, Spirit Dancer, take the $1m Bahrain International Trophy, with a first prize of £472,441, for the second year running.

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