Trained by Richard Fahey at Masley Bank, outside Malton, the seven-year-old horse was bred by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who shares ownership with friends Ged Mason and Peter Dunne. It runs in the familiar red color.
When Sir Alex won the race in 2023, he said it was the best moment of his racing career, but little did he know that a year later he and his horse would be back in the same winner's enclosure. It wasn't.
It seemed unlikely to her trainer either, as Spirit Dancer was injured and not ideally prepared for a race worth nearly half a million pounds to the winner. He won in the most dramatic style. .
Spirit Dancer, drawn in the same stall number 11 as in 2023, jumped out of the stall, but was quickly pulled back and settled in last place by stable jockey Oisin Orr.
He was still in last place when he entered the home straight, but after being switched to the outside, he gradually came closer. But when race favorite, Newmarket-trained and prominently ridden Lead Artist, was cut short with less than 400 meters to go, it looked like he had a mountain to climb.
But with each stride, the tough 7-year-old gradually took the lead, cornering his rival 50 yards from the victory line and winning by a length and a quarter.
Spirit Dancer, who returned after an injury and more than six months off, was very different from his last run at Newmarket in October, finishing 7th of 8th in the Group 3 Space Blues Darley Stakes by about 13 and a half lengths. was. He fell behind Friday's runner-up.
It was an amazing training performance by Richard and his team that got him back to top form in the four weeks since that race, but he was back in shape again.
“I don't know how he did it, but he was great and Oisin was great too. I'm very proud of him and Oisin. He was very calm and sat motionless. I didn't panic at all.”
Co-owner Ged Mason added: “I’m very grateful to Sir Alex for raising him. When he won last year, it was a bit of a tonic for Sir Alex, who had lost his wife Lady Cathy the month before. said she mentally rode him, and she did the same thing again.
“It's inconceivable that lightning could strike twice in the same place, but it did today. It's an incredible feat by horse, trainer and jockey.”
Spirit Dancer is something of a new horse after an injury forced him to take a long break, and Richard has other races in mind over the winter.
He said, “I've had a light season, so I might go to Hong Kong for a big international conference next month.”
“Today's win means a lot. He has prepared completely differently than last year and I was a little disappointed with his comeback run, but he seems to like it here and has improved throughout the week. Ta.
“What amazes me is what his win means to the three very successful men who are his owners. It's amazing what racehorses can do to people. Days like this are great publicity for the sport, so anyone who wants to take part should keep an eye on their reactions.”
