Sir Alex Ferguson would DROP Man Utd players who went to Cheltenham… but Fergie hopes to land £625k Gold Cup this week

SIR ALEX FERGUSON is hoping to land the £625,000 Gold Cup at Cheltenham this week.

But he would DROP Manchester United players who went to the famous Festival during his time as manager.

Sir Alex Ferguson would drop Man Utd players who attended CheltenhamThe Sun

Gary Pallister claims Fergie was never into horse racing back when he was a managerGetty

Red Devils legend Sir Alex is running three horses at the Cheltenham Festival this year.

Protektorat will be watched keenly by the Scot as he runs in the Gold Cup on Friday at 3.30pm.

Fergie also has Hermes Allen competing in Wednesday’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at 1.30pm.

And Hitman will run in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday at 2.50pm.

But while Ferguson is truly invested in this year’s spectacle, it was a different story during his time as United boss.

Former star Gary Pallister has revealed Fergie used to ban his players from attending the famous races.

Amazingly, the Scot was NOT into horse racing at the time.

And any player found to have visited Cheltenham would find themselves dropped from United’s XI.

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Pallister told Cheltenham Odds: “My favourite memories of Fergie and horse racing is that if he found out you’ve been to Cheltenham Festival, he’d drop you! 

“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.

“Sir Alex wouldn’t allow us to go to Cheltenham. That’s right in the middle of the season when it’s getting to the tickly bit.

“Cheltenham Festival week no chance. There was every chance we’d be playing in the middle of the week anyway so that was never on the agenda.

“The ones we used to go to were at the end of the season at Chester when the season was done. It was always a good day out for the lads if we’d won something that season.”