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Sir Alex dropped Man Utd players for going to Cheltenham - but his tip 'romped home'
Manchester United's stars weren't afforded any time off for the Cheltenham Festival, despite Sir Alex Ferguson going on to become a horse racing enthusiast and owner
Sir Alex Ferguson may be an avid race-goer nowadays - but the legendary Manchester United boss wasn't always into his horses.
Fergie has a number of hopefuls he co-owns taking to the track at the Cheltenham Festival this week having fallen in love with the sport in his later life. However, back in his early days at Old Trafford, he wasn't so keen.
Former Red Devils defender Gary Pallister revealed how he'd punish players if they snuck off to the races, with Cheltenham falling at a crucial time in the season.
"My favourite memories of Fergie and horse racing is that if he found out you’ve been to Cheltenham Festival, he'd drop you," Pallister told Boyle Sports.
"He wasn’t into Cheltenham racing then. He didn’t play golf and he didn’t like horse racing. Now he loves his golf and his horse racing and owns horses.
"Back in the day, he wasn't OK with the lads going off for a day at the races, but that’s all changed and he’s obviously been involved for quite a while now with his good friends from Manchester and had some good success there."
While Pallister and his team-mates were given no leeway for Cheltenham during their playing days, he too now attends The Festival on a yearly basis.
And he had his old gaffer to thank in 2014 when Sir Alex tipped a certain Cheltenham debutant at odds of 10/1.
Pallister recalled: "I remember a few years back when there was an unknown horse called Tiger Roll and I was on the phone with Bryan Robson on the day and he said: ‘I’ll put you onto the gaffer he’s got more than I have'.
"He said he’d give me a few tips and his NAP of the day was Tiger Roll. I think that was the cross country race at the time and he was around 10/1.
"He said it was his NAP at the time so I put a few quid and it romped home at 10/1. He hasn’t given me another tip since then but that was a good price so it made sure I was up on the day."
Daily Star Sunday
Manchester United's stars weren't afforded any time off for the Cheltenham Festival, despite Sir Alex Ferguson going on to become a horse racing enthusiast and owner
Sir Alex Ferguson may be an avid race-goer nowadays - but the legendary Manchester United boss wasn't always into his horses.
Fergie has a number of hopefuls he co-owns taking to the track at the Cheltenham Festival this week having fallen in love with the sport in his later life. However, back in his early days at Old Trafford, he wasn't so keen.
Former Red Devils defender Gary Pallister revealed how he'd punish players if they snuck off to the races, with Cheltenham falling at a crucial time in the season.
"My favourite memories of Fergie and horse racing is that if he found out you’ve been to Cheltenham Festival, he'd drop you," Pallister told Boyle Sports.
"He wasn’t into Cheltenham racing then. He didn’t play golf and he didn’t like horse racing. Now he loves his golf and his horse racing and owns horses.
"Back in the day, he wasn't OK with the lads going off for a day at the races, but that’s all changed and he’s obviously been involved for quite a while now with his good friends from Manchester and had some good success there."
While Pallister and his team-mates were given no leeway for Cheltenham during their playing days, he too now attends The Festival on a yearly basis.
And he had his old gaffer to thank in 2014 when Sir Alex tipped a certain Cheltenham debutant at odds of 10/1.
Pallister recalled: "I remember a few years back when there was an unknown horse called Tiger Roll and I was on the phone with Bryan Robson on the day and he said: ‘I’ll put you onto the gaffer he’s got more than I have'.
"He said he’d give me a few tips and his NAP of the day was Tiger Roll. I think that was the cross country race at the time and he was around 10/1.
"He said it was his NAP at the time so I put a few quid and it romped home at 10/1. He hasn’t given me another tip since then but that was a good price so it made sure I was up on the day."
Daily Star Sunday