Glorious Goodwood on Saturday: Evening Saigon takes spoils in Coral Stewards' Cup
Evening Saigon (16/1) crowned a fine week for Wathnan Racing and James Doyle with a tenacious display to win the six-furlong Coral Stewards’ Cup as the Qatar Goodwood Festival drew to a close.
Seventh in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot on his previous start, Hamad Al Jehani’s sprinter emerged alongside Stratusnine on the far side approaching the final furlong, with a host of runners in contention nearer the stands.
Following a sustained battle, Evening Saigon gained the upper hand on Stratusnine (25/1) and won by a head. Mitbaahy (14/1), Completely Random (7/1) and Toca Madera (25/1) closed strongly from the rear to fill the minor places.
Doyle said: “It has been great. Obviously, we were very deflated last year with just one winner during the week. We were really frustrated by that, so the message was that we needed to do better, and that applied to everyone, including me. We have done a lot of work this week looking at different tactics, track position and things like that. All the guys back home in the office, and these guys here, have played their part.
“Hamad has done an unbelievable job with this horse. He is not an easy conveyance. I do not know if you saw, but when the stalls opened, he was feeling so well in himself that he tried to get rid of me in the first few strides. If he gets the start right, which he did today, he is pretty good. Craig Witheford and his team have also done a great job with him and we got that part right.
“We just had the perfect set-up. I did not think they went that mad for a Stewards’ Cup, so I was happy to pull him out before the two-furlong marker and set sail for home. I knew the second horse, I won on him the other day at York, and he is a pretty decent horse too, so it was a good tussle all the way to the line.”
Al Jehani said: “I am very happy for Evening Saigon and very happy for the team. He performed very well at Royal Ascot, and it was the right decision from the management to keep him for the Stewards’ Cup. It is really important for us and a really important race for the season. I am very happy, and thanks to James for giving the horse a great ride.
“It is not easy to be competitive with the best trainers in the world, but we try our best. I think we are building in a very good way, with great help from the management. Hopefully, we will improve year by year and can get Wathnan into the winner’s enclosure more and more.”
The Coral’ Stewards’ Cup was the headline race but it was supported by two other Group races, the Group 3 Coral Glorious Stakes and the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes.
Before racing began, it was announced that West Sussex-based jockey Jim Crowley, was retiring. A presentation was planned to him duting he afternoon.
Britain’s champion Flat jockey in 2016, the Shadwell-retained rider having been sidelined following a serious fall at York in September.
Through his near 10-year association with the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and his daughter Sheikha Hissa bint Hamdan Al Maktoum, the 48-year-old enjoyed some of his most memorable days at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
Crowley guided Baaeed to success in the 2022 Sussex Stakes, the latest of the jockey’s three wins in the mile showpiece, and notched four straight victories on outstanding sprinter Battaash in the King George Stakes between 2017-2020.
Away from Goodwood, Ascot proved particularly fruitful in recent years, with wins on Anmaat in the Champion Stakes, Hukum in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Baaeed in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Crowley said: “It has been tough, the hardest decision of my life. I had my first ride when I was 17. Time does not wait for anybody, and the injuries I had at York have taken a lot longer than I anticipated. But I feel very fortunate to have come out of that accident because it was a pretty nasty one. On to the next chapter. I only made the decision last night – I thought Goodwood is on, my local track, and it is a nice way to finish.
“I have talked to a couple of my closest friends, whose judgement I really respect, but at the end of the day the decision came from me because I have never listened to anyone my whole life. When I was a jump jockey, people said I would not do any good on the Flat, so that made me more determined. It is just one of those things, and I am young enough to start training now and it is something I really want to get my teeth into.
“There are so many people to thank. Obviously, the whole Shadwell team, Sheikha Hissa and her father Sheikh Hamdan, who gave me the job. Angus Gold, Richard Hills, everybody at Shadwell. My agent, Tony Hind, who has worked tirelessly over the years. Valets, jockeys, stable staff – everybody has helped me along the way. There are a thousand emotions running through me, good ones and sad ones, but I have had a lovely send-off and there is no finer place, so I am very happy.
“Baaeed was special and Goodwood has always been a lucky track for me. I rode my 2,000th winner here as well, so it is great to finish here. I have had so many good horses and was fortunate to be champion jockey, which got me the position with Shadwell. Baaeed, Hukum winning the King George, Ulysses, Battaash, Mohaather, Anmaat – so many. You would settle for one of those, but to get all of them, I have been so spoilt.
“Training will not be immediate. I have done all my modules, but I want to travel a bit, see some different trainers and spend some time with them. Certainly, over the winter or next year, I will be looking to start.”
Back on the track, Hopewell Rock (5/1) delivered on his early promise with a smooth success in the Highclere Castle Gin Summer Handicap over 14 furlongs for George Boughey and Ryan Moore.
Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, the four-year-old had largely performed well in six subsequent handicap appearances, latterly finishing sixth in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot on his first start for Wathan Racing.
More amenable in the early stages today, Hopewell Rock enjoyed a clean run towards the outer of the 13-strong field and saw the trip out well to score by three-quarters of a length. Joseph O’Brien’s duo Small Fry (6/1) and Aeronautic (11/4) were second and third, having met trouble in the straight.
Boughey said: “I thought Hopewell Rock was one of our best chances of the week at Royal Ascot and, for some reason, he did not show up. He looked super out the back today and got a super ride.
“I have always wanted to step him up, even to two miles, and today was the big target for Wathnan. It is a massive meeting for them. We have not thought much beyond today, but he can probably step up into Stakes company and hopefully develop into a Cup horse at some stage.
“Richard [Brown of Wathnan] was very keen to buy the horse heading into Ascot and the plan was Ascot, Goodwood and then we would work it out afterwards. We missed at Ascot and, luckily, we hit at Goodwood."
Enfjaar (8/1) returned to the winner’s enclosure for the first time in just over two years with an enterprising front-running ride from Ray Dawson in the G3 Coral Glorious Stakes.
The six-year-old had posted a string of creditable efforts in Stakes company following his 2024 John Smith’s Cup victory, including when third in the Listed Fitzdares Festival Stakes at the track in May.
Tackling a mile and a half for the first time, Enfjaar set steady fractions before quickening the tempo entering the final three furlongs. William Haggas-trained stablemates Opportunity (15/8F) and Al Aasy (9/2) emerged as the main threats, but Roger Varian’s runner kept finding to win by just over a length.
Varian said: “It was a great ride from Ray. It was the first time the horse had gone a mile and a half, so maybe the trainer should have pulled his finger out and got his trip right a couple of years ago!
“You do not always necessarily want to be in front stepping up in trip, but there did not look to be a lot of pace on and we said that, if he broke on terms and relaxed, to ride the situation. The horse has the best chance of getting the trip if he is relaxed, regardless of his position. It was a lovely bit of riding. A big shout out to the owners, as it is the first winner in the Standish colours.
“I did say to the owners this morning that, if this worked, it was going to open up a few new doors. We have explored the mile-and-a-quarter programme pretty strongly over the last two years. He has always been a talented horse, although this might be his first win since the John Smith’s Cup. He has run some fine races, including in the Wolferton this year when he had no luck in running, and in the same race last year. He is very capable on his day and beat a strong field today, so I am delighted."
Melbourne Cup runner-up Goodie Two Shoes (8/1) prevailed in an exhilarating photo finish to the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes for Joseph O’Brien and owner JP McManus.
Third in the 14-furlong contest 12 months ago, Goodie Two Shoes tracked front-runner Santorini Star before angling out approaching the final furlong as last year’s winner Waardah challenged widest of all.
All three were virtually in line passing the half-furlong marker, with Goodie Two Shoes finding most to edge out a game Santorini Star (4/1) by a nose. Waardah (9/4F) was just a head further back in third.
Winning jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said: “Goodie Two Shoes is a lovely filly. She has been improving all the time since she came back this year and has got better with each run. I was quietly confident today that she would get a lot closer to these fillies. She ran well last year when the ground turned soft, but she would gallop down the road for you and handles quick ground. She got a lovely split through them and really wanted to win.
“These are very, very special silks to put on. A big thanks to JP [McManus] for putting me up. She is going to have a nice campaign through to the end of the season. I am sure that the Melbourne Cup is probably the main target. The boys will know that, and Joseph [O’Brien] and JP will discuss it, but I would guess that is the obvious target.”
Andrew Balding’s Ghost Mode (9/2) returned to form with a stylish win under Rob Hornby in the seven-furlong Phase Eight Handicap – despite hanging left in the closing stages.
An impressive winner of a Southwell handicap in March, the Ghaiyyath three-year-old had struggled in four subsequent starts, but he looked back on song as he beat Ironwill by just over a length.
Rafe’s Da Man (12-1) was first home in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (Pat Dobbs/Richard Hannon) and the week ended with the Coral Rewards Shaker Handicap, taken by 10-3 joint favourite Crest Of Fire (5-1) for Jack Channon and Tom Marquand.
Another son of Ghaiyyath prevailed in the following British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes as Rafe’s Da Man (12/1) impressed for Richard Hannon and Pat Dobbs.
Progressive in three previous starts, the chestnut challenged going strongly approaching the final furlong and went away to win by just over a length from Charted Course.
It was a busy finish to the closing 15-runner Coral Rewards Shaker Handicap, with Crest Of Fire (10/3JF) overcoming several instances of interference to win by a neck for Jack Channon and Tom Marquand.
That all meant Goodwood group chief executive Adam Waterworth won the Chichester Observer tipping competition with two winners – including his selection of the 16/1 Stewards’ Cup winner Evening Saigon. He will select a charty to benefit from Coral’s sponsorship of the contest.
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