[4] Sandford Lad was from the first crop of foals sired by St Alphage, a sprinter who finished second in the King George Stakes.
In the Pilgrim Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in July he won by four lengths from Gracious Melody and Brave Lad, conceding eleven pounds to the runner-up.
[6] In the autumn of 1972 it was reported that Sandford Lad was to be sold to race in the United States but the rumours came to nothing and he remained in training with Price,[6] Sandford Lad had some injuries training problems in the eleven months which elapsed between his win at York in August 1972 and his return in the Sheffield Handicap at Doncaster Racecourse in July 1973.
At Goodwood he was stepped up in class and started 6/5 favourite for the Group Three King George Stakes in which he was set to receive weight from most of his major rivals.
Ridden by Tony Murray he recorded his most important victory up to that point but was not particularly impressive as he won by only half a length from the four-year-old Workboy with Tickled Pink in third and the Temple Stakes winner Saulingo in third.
His old rivals Saulingo, The Go-Between and Brave Lad were in the field but his most serious opponent appeared to be the Irish mare Abergwaun (King's Stand Stakes) and the French two-year-old Moubariz.
[7] At the end of his three-year-old season, Sandford Lad was retired to become a breeding stallion at the Airlie Stud in County Dublin at a fee of 3,000 guineas.