SIR Alex Ferguson could win more trophies in three days than Manchester United have in five years thanks to his superstar horses.
And the Old Trafford legend would be celebrating a payout to the tune of £640,000 should his big Cheltenham Festival runners all come in.
That's a very healthy return - and much better than United have managed despite their colossal spending over the past few seasons.
Last weekend's League Cup win was United's first trophy since the Europa League in 2017.
Racing fanatic Ferguson, 81, will tackle racing's most iconic meeting with three top tier equine talents.
Protektorat, Hitman and Hermes Allen will look to give the football icon a week to remember at Prestbury Park.
Already this season Fergie has hit the back of the net with big Gold Cup hope Protektorat.
Third in the race last year, he was a runaway winner of the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock last November, a race worth £114,000 to the winner.
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Disappointing when seen again at Cheltenham on Trials Day last month, trainer Dan Skelton said the horse wasn't fully wound up but will be ready for the Festival feature.
Protektorat, who is co-owned by millionaire businessman Ged Mason, fluffy toy magnate John Hales and his daughter Lisa, is a 14-1 shot for £351,688 show-stopper.
Hitman is another Fergie runner who could hit the target.
He is entered for the Ryanair - the race which Shishkin is 10-11 fav for - but could be massively underestimated at 22-1.
Trainer Paul Nicholls reckons the intermediate 2m4f trip is right up his street and he has always looked a reliable jumper capable of putting in a huge performance.
But bookies reckon Fergie's best chance of all will be Hermes Allen in the Ballymore.
The 5-2 ante-post favourite is unbeaten in three races over hurdles and has won by a combined 41 lengths, pocketing £66,730 in the process.
Labelled 'awesome' by Nicholls after his Challow Hurdle win at Newbury on New Year's Eve, four of the five horses who finished that day have gone onto win.
Of course it's a big ask for Fergie's horses to do the business taking on a whole host of other fancied horses from Britain and Ireland.
Indeed, if you were to back the treble right now you'd be banking on odds of more than 1200-1.
But if anywhere is renowned for big winners it is Cheltenham.
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Also, bagging three trophies in t
Here's hoping Fergie can raise a glass or two to a couple winners in two weeks' time.
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