The best racehorses owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson's hairdryer treatment is legendary but he is much more at home when roaring his horses towards the winning post at the races.

The formidable Scotsman won everything that was worth winning with the Old Trafford club, but from a young age he was also interested in racing when his parents would have a bet at the weekend.

Fergie's involvement in racehorse ownership went hand-in-hand with the success of Manchester United in the late 90's, so Planet Sport is counting down some of the most important horses from his equine portfolio to the present day.

 

Monmiral

Although perhaps not the star striker in Fergie's squad, Monmiral has proved an able hurdler for Sir Alex and top owner John Hales, who he shares the Saint Des Saints gelding with.

Monmiral won the Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree in April 2021, and that Grade 1 win shows that Ferguson is in the upper echelons of National Hunt owners.

Harry Cobden called Monmiral "the best juvenile I've sat on" when winning the Doom Bar, which is high praise indeed.

The win was part of a famous Grade 1 treble for Monmiral on the first day of the Grand National meeting in 2021.

Then at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, Monmiral hunted down Kyntara in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.

He was sent off at 25/1 in the hands of Cobden, sporting first-time blinkers as he was given a patient ride by his title-chasing jockey.

Cobden edged his mount into contention heading down hill for the second time, but it seemed the bird had flown when the bold front-running Kyntara set sail in his bid to provide Mel Rowley with a first Festival success.

However, Monmiral still had plenty in reserve and emerged as Kyntara’s sole challenger at the last before storming home to crush the long-time leader’s dreams.

A clearly thrilled Ferguson said: “That was fantastic. Brilliant. What a jockey, deary me, he was brilliant. It’s my first winner here, John is the master, he chooses the horses and we back him all the way.”

 

Queensland Star

You never forget your first and Ferguson credits his first foray into ownership with Queensland Star with saving his job at Old Trafford.

Ferguson often crossed paths with trainer Jack Berry and was tempted to purchase a two-year-old called Queensland Star for £17,000 for the northern trainer.

Queensland Star, won at the first time of asking at Newmarket in 1998, earning his punting football manager owner a few quid and then followed up at Chester.

Queensland Star was worth more than that though as it gave Ferguson an outlet away from his football obsession.

"No-one can get hold of you, mobiles phones are off, you are out in the fresh air. No-one can bother you. Perfect," Ferguson told the Yorkshire Post on his time on the gallops with Berry.

The racing bug paid dividends with United winning the treble in 1998/99.

 

Clan Des Obeaux

Any jumps racing aficionado wants to win the historic King George VI Chase at Kempton and Sir Alex Ferguson has done it not once but twice with Clan Des Obeaux.

A top class manager like Fergie was always going to get together with a high-level trainer like Paul Nicholls and it was almost written in the stars for Clan Des Obeaux.

Shared with Nicholls' friend and landlord Paul Barber, Clan Des Obeaux first won the Kempton Boxing Day showpiece in 2018, holding off Thistlecrack in a thrilling finish.

Then in 2019, Clan Des Obeaux obliterated his fancied stablemate Cyrname by 21 lengths to seal the King George double.

Clan Des Obeaux went on to win two Grade 1's in April 2021 in the form of the Betway Bowl at Aintree and the Punchestown Gold Cup, cementing himself as an excellent jumping performer.

Then in 2022, Clan Des Obeaux nailed back-to-back victories in the Grade 1 Betway Bowl on Merseyside.

As for what Fergie admires in his star chaser, he said: "Consistency, doing his best. I think that is a great quality for a horse. It is good to have one to trust to do his very best."

That could be a description of one of his top footballers as well as his superb Clan Des Obeaux.

 

Protektorat

Not content with owning Monmiral and Clan Des Obeaux, Sir Alex Ferguson also has shares in Dan Skelton's frighteningly good Protektorat.

The French recruit was one of the legs of the 2021 Aintree treble which saw Ferguson win those three Grade 1 races at Aintree on one day.

Protektorat saw off Cheltenham hero the Shunter to join Monmiral and Clan Des Obeaux for the Aintree treble which Ferguson described as his "best day" in horse racing.

He went on to win the Grade 2 Unibet Many Clouds Chase during Christmas 2021, putting a clear 25 lengths between himself and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River.

Of all Ferguson's jumpers, Protektorat is considered by many to be top-notch, promising to be a Grade 1 performer for years to come.

However, with a third place in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup, behind Rachael Blackmore on A Plus Tard, and a disappointing fourth in the Betway Bowl many thought his best days were behind him.

However, in a what was a magical Thursday for Ferguson at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, Protektorat proved dropping back in trip was no issue when producing a brilliant display to claim the Ryanair Chase.

There was plenty of pace on show with Stage Star and Ahoy Senor leading the field along, with Protektorat among those right on that duo’s tail in the hands of Harry Skelton.

Having travelled menacingly into contention it appeared 9/4 favourite and defending champion Envoi Allen was the one the front-runners had to worry about heading into the straight, but neither Stage Star or Protektorat were ready to give up the fight and although Stage Star faded after two out there was still plenty of fight left in Protektorat.

There was little to separate Protektorat and Henry de Bromhead’s charge jumping the final fence, but it was Protektorat’s stamina reserves which then came to the fore late in the day as the 17/2 chance stormed up the Cheltenham hill to victory.

It was Skelton’s fourth victory at the Festival, and also the second in the space of 40 minutes for the collective of owners that included Ferguson and Hales.

 

Rock Of Gibraltar

Not only Ferguson's best horse but one of the most controversial animals in the history of the sport.

Subject to a legendary tussle with Coolmore's John Magnier over the breeding rights to the European Horse of the Year, both parties' names were dragged through the mud in a 2004 legal battle.

None of it was poor Rock Of Gibraltar's fault, trained by Aidan O'Brien, the superlative miler who won seven Group 1's in a row.

Things were a lot rosier between Ferguson and John Magnier in 2002 when Rock Of Gibraltar won in Paris.

"The moment I realised he was a lot better than we had all thought was when he won the Grand Criterium in Paris. No one expected it. Not even Aidan," Ferguson told the Guardian.

"He won so well, we were puzzled really. We didn't think he would like ground like that, but he showed us that, with the quality he has, the toughness, he can win on any ground."

Rock Of Gibraltar's role of honour lists such stellar Group 1's as the Darley Dewhurst Stakes, a first Classic for Fergie in the 2000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes.

At stud he sired a total of 16 Group or Grade One winners including Coral-Eclipse victor Mount Nelson and Golden Jubilee and Haydock Sprint Cup hero Society Rock.

Rock Of Gibraltar was also a notable broodmare sire, with two of his daughters producing two recent 2000 Guineas winner in Kameko and Poetic Flare.

In the end, the legal dispute was settled out of court and Rock Of Gibraltar always comes with a sad footnote of wrangles rather than the wonder of being Ferguson's best horse, bar none.