James Doyle made the right call out of three options when his stable, Wathnan Racing, capped a spectacular Glorious Goodwood meeting with a victory in the Coral Stewards' Cup aboard Evening Saigon. The win was a crowning achievement for the owners, who have long set their sights on this particular race, and it also marked a second major handicap success this week for Qatari‑born trainer Hamad Al Jehani. Al Jehani had already celebrated a big win earlier in the meeting when his horse Archivist captured the Golden Mile, even though Doyle had initially selected the wrong runner for that contest. This time the entire team could share in the glory as Evening Saigon delivered a decisive performance.
At the Thursday draw, the higher‑rated horses were favoured, but the race unfolded in favour of the 10‑runner Evening Saigon, who edged out Stratusnine by five lengths. Jamie Spencer, riding Mitbaahy, made a late surge from the rear to finish third, just a head and a short head behind the winner.
Completely Random took fourth place. "It’s been an amazing week," Doyle said after the race. "Last year we only managed one win and I was pretty deflated, so the whole stable was determined to improve.
Everyone, including me, was focused on doing better." He went on to explain the preparation that went into the victory: "We spent a lot of time this week analysing tactics, track position and the best way to get the most out of Evening Saigon. The guys back at the office and Hamad have done an incredible job with this horse. He isn’t the easiest horse to manage – he tried to pull away in the first few strides – but once we settled him, everything clicked." Doyle described the race dynamics in detail: "We had the perfect set‑up.
Dark Thirty was right in front of us, so I could draft behind him without getting caught in the traffic. I didn’t want to get too aggressive early in a Stewards’ Cup, so I pulled him out before the two‑furlong marker and let him settle. When the second horse – the one I rode to victory at York – came around, I knew we had a solid duel to the finish.
It was a good tussle, but Evening Saigon held on." He added praise for the trainer: "Hamad and his team have now won the two biggest handicaps of the week. That’s a huge achievement for Wathnan." Al Jehani echoed the sentiment: "I’m thrilled for Evening Saigon and for everyone involved. He ran brilliantly at Royal Ascot, and keeping him in the Stewards’ Cup was the right call from management. This race is a key fixture of the season, and James gave the horse an outstanding ride." He continued, "Competing with the world’s top trainers is never easy, but we are building something special here with strong support from the owners.
We hope to improve year after year and see Wathnan Racing more often in the winner’s enclosure." Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown also weighed in: "James had a tough decision on which mount to ride, but he stuck with this lad in the end. Hamad has delivered two of the toughest handicap wins of the year. We plan these campaigns together as a team, and when the results come in it’s fantastic for the whole operation and what Wathnan stands for." Brown praised Al Jehani’s record: "If you look at Hamad’s statistics since he started training, they compare favourably with the very best in the country.
He’s a phenomenal horseman, a former top jockey, modest yet highly skilled – he even competed in show‑jumping at a high level. The synergy within his team is remarkable, and pulling off this double is huge for everyone involved." The meeting also featured a standout performance from Goodie Two Shoes, who added to Joseph O'Brien and Dylan Browne‑McMonagle’s impressive Goodwood campaign by winning the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes.
The JP McManus‑owned mare started at 8/1 and faced a strong challenge from Santorini Star, who made a late run for home. With 100 yards to go, Goodie Two Shoes found an extra gear, stretched her neck forward and clinched the victory by a nose.
Goodie Two Shoes, a seven‑year‑old who placed second in the Melbourne Cup in November, now has a realistic chance of returning to Australia for another attempt at the prestigious race after this Group Two triumph. Rider Dylan Browne‑McMonagle praised the filly: "She’s a lovely horse and keeps improving every time she runs. She handled the quick ground beautifully and gave me a perfect split through the field.
I was confident she would finish strongly, and when I saw her head down at the line, I knew we’d got it." He added, "Wearing these silks is a great honour. A big thank you to JP for giving me the ride – we have a solid campaign planned for the rest of the season." Speaking about future targets, Browne‑McMonagle said, "The Melbourne Cup is definitely the main goal.
The owners and trainer will discuss it, but it’s the obvious aim for a horse of her calibre." Sir Anthony McCoy, representing McManus, also commented: "I didn’t think she’d won at first, but Jason Weaver said she crossed the line exactly on the line – no doubt about it. She got a great ride, and when you have a jockey like Dylan, who rides with the precision of Ryan Moore and a bit of that extra spark, you can’t ask for more." He concluded, "She was second in the Melbourne Cup, and I think she’d be well‑handicapped for the Galway Plate if she ran there off 123. It’s wonderful to see her win at Goodwood, and I hope she can make a return to the Melbourne Cup later this year." Overall, the Glorious Goodwood meeting delivered a series of memorable moments, from Evening Saigon’s Stewards’ Cup triumph to Goodie Two Shoes’ narrow win in the Lillie Langtry Stakes, underscoring the depth of talent among trainers, jockeys and owners in the sport today.