Sir Alex Ferguson wins at Liverpool

Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool – Sir Alex Ferguson, the most decorated manager in English football history, added another winner’s-rosette to his collection on Saturday as his hurdler Wade Out stormed to victory in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle on Grand National day.

The 18-1 shot, trained by Olly Murphy and ridden by Gavin Sheehan, surged clear after the final flight to give Ferguson a memorable triumph on Merseyside, the very region where he tormented rival clubs for 26 years as Manchester United boss.

Ferguson, 82, who retired from football management in 2013, is a co-owner of the seven-year-old gelding and has steadily built a respected presence in National Hunt racing. The Aintree success follows a recent third-place finish for his mare L’eau du Sud at the Cheltenham Festival, underlining a spring campaign that has exceeded expectations.

Witnesses in the winner’s enclosure included former United striker Wayne Rooney, who attended the meeting with his wife Coleen, adding a touch of Old Trafford nostalgia to the celebrations.

While Ferguson’s influence on the pitch has waned, his fingerprints remain on the club he turned into a global powerhouse. Earlier this month ex-United goalkeeper Ben Foster credited—or blamed—Ferguson for hastening his departure from Old Trafford, highlighting the Scot’s enduring sway. In January, teenage defender Ayden Heaven moved into Ferguson’s family home, an arrangement designed to aid the youngster’s development and reinforce the pipeline between club legend and next-generation talent.

Yet it is in the racing sphere where Ferguson is currently enjoying the most tangible success. Wade Out’s decisive win at Aintree propels the Ferguson racing syndicate further into the spotlight and adds another chapter to a sporting career that already includes 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League crowns and a knighthood.

As the cheers echoed across the paddock, Ferguson allowed himself a rare, broad smile—proof that even away from the dugout, the winning instinct that defined his managerial reign burns as brightly as ever.