Jockey Oisin Orr with the owners of Spirit Dancer, including Alex Ferguson
Oisin Orr retained the Bahrain International Trophy aboard the Alex Ferguson-owned Spirit Dancer.
Ferguson hailed Orr after a perfectly-timed ride.
“The jockey; fantastic jockey,” an ecstatic Ferguson exclaimed.
The Rathmullan jockey sprung another Fergie Time move to take the $1 million win for owners Ferguson, Ged Mason and Fred Done.
Spirit Dancer, the son of Frankel, came out of stall 11 and had a lot of ground on the turn for home.
However, under a beautiful ride by Orr, the seven-year-old, trained by Richard Fahey, took victory from Lead Artist over the final few strides.
Spirit Dancer roared up the outside to pip Lead Artist and Calif on the sprint for the line.
At the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club in Riffa, Orr was beaming.
“We had the same draw as last year and the tactics were much the same,” Orr said.
“I was able to take my time and we came with a run up the outside. On his work at home he had been as good as ever. He has come and done it again, it’s great.”
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Ferguson, the legendary former Manchester United manager, praised Orr’s performance.
“Unbelievable,” he said. “He was so far back I was saying ‘he’s not going to do it’. I don’t know where he got it from.”
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