James Doyle made the right call out of three possible mounts when his stable, Wathnan Racing, capped a spectacular Glorious Goodwood meeting by winning the Coral Stewards' Cup aboard Evening Saigon. The victory was a crowning achievement for the owners, who have long set their sights on this particular race, but perhaps even more significant was the fact that it marked the second major handicap win of the week for Qatari‑born trainer Hamad Al Jehani. Earlier in the meeting Al Jehani had celebrated a win in the Golden Mile with Archivist, a race in which Doyle had mistakenly chosen the wrong horse. This time the whole team could revel in a genuine triumph.
Although the betting market favoured higher‑priced runners at the Thursday draw, the finish was dominated by the eventual winner, who had drawn stall 10. Evening Saigon edged out Stratusnine by five lengths. Jamie Spencer, riding Mitbaahy, made a late charge from the rear and finished a head and a short head behind the winner, while Completely Random took fourth place. "It has been a brilliant week," Doyle said after the race.
"Last year I was left feeling deflated after only one win, and we were all frustrated. The message to the whole operation was that we needed to improve, and everyone – myself included – has taken that to heart." He went on to explain the preparation that went into the day: "We spent a lot of time this week analysing different tactics, track position and everything else that can make a difference. The guys back at the office, the stable staff, Hamad – they have all done an incredible job with this horse." "He's not the easiest horse to ride.
At the start he tried to get away from me in the first few strides, but that actually worked to my advantage. We had the perfect set‑up.
Dark Thirty was right in front of me, so I could draft behind him and keep the pace honest. I didn't feel the need to push too hard for a Stewards' Cup, so I pulled him out before the final two furlongs and headed straight for home." "I knew the second horse well – I rode him to victory at York not long ago – and he is a very respectable animal, so the finish was a genuine tussle right to the line," Doyle added.
Al Jehani praised both the horse and his team: "I am thrilled for Evening Saigon and for everyone involved. He ran brilliantly at Royal Ascot, and keeping him in the stable for the Stewards' Cup proved to be the right call. This race is a key fixture in the season, and James gave the horse a superb ride." He continued, "Competing against the best trainers in the world is never easy, but we are making steady progress thanks to the support of our owners.
Year after year we hope to see Wathnan Racing more often in the winner's enclosure." Wathnan’s racing advisor Richard Brown echoed the sentiment: "James had a tough decision on which horse to ride, but he was firm about staying with Evening Saigon. Hamad has now won two of the toughest handicaps of the year. When you plot these performances and work together as a team, the results are simply fantastic for Wathnan and for what the operation stands for." He also highlighted Al Jehani’s record: "If you look at Hamad’s statistics since he started training, they compare favourably with the top trainers in the country. He is a phenomenal horseman, a former rider himself, modest yet highly skilled – he even competed in show‑jumping at a high level.
The synergy within his team is exceptional, and pulling off a double like this is huge for everyone involved." The meeting also featured a memorable win for Goodie Two Shoes, who added to Joseph O'Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle’s impressive Goodwood campaign by taking the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes. After already securing three victories for the JP McManus partnership, the seven‑year‑old mare went off at 8/1 odds, facing a strong challenge from Santorini Star, who was expected to finish strongly.
Goodie Two Shoes had to make up a 100‑yard deficit in the final furlong, but she stretched her neck at the crucial moment and clinched the win by a nose. The filly, who placed second in the Melbourne Cup in November, is now likely to be aimed back at the Australian classic following her Group Two success. Rider Dylan Browne McMonagle commented, "She is a lovely filly and has improved with every run since returning this year.
She handled the quick ground beautifully and gave me a perfect split through the field. I didn’t even realise we had won until I saw her head dip at the line – I thought Tom Marquand had taken it, but we crossed first by the slimmest margin." He added, "Wearing these silks is a real honour. A huge thank you to JP for giving us this opportunity – she has a bright campaign ahead." Speaking about future targets, McMonagle said, "The Melbourne Cup is certainly the main goal.
The owners will discuss it, but it’s the obvious objective for her next big test." Sir Anthony McCoy, speaking for McManus, remarked, "I didn’t think she had won, but Jason Weaver told me she was exactly on the line – not before, not after. She got a great ride, a bit of luck on the inside, and when you have a jockey of Dylan’s calibre, things tend to fall into place." He praised the jockey’s style: "Dylan rides with the precision of Ryan Moore, yet he has that extra spark – that little edge that can make the difference, as Frankie discovered at Ascot." McCoy concluded, "She was second in the Melbourne Cup, and I think she would have been well‑handicapped for the Galway Plate at 123. Winning races like this is wonderful, and I hope she will get a chance to contest the Melbourne Cup again." For continuous updates on horse racing, interviews and in‑depth features, stay tuned to Sky Sports Racing and never miss a story.