BSS
  02 Aug 2025, 21:03

Two Tribes wins Stewards Cup in Glorious Goodwood finale for Spencer

Collected photo

LONDON, Aug 2, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Two Tribes landed Saturday's prestigious Stewards Cup, the feature race on the final day of Glorious Goodwood, in a remarkable training performance by Richard Spencer.

The winner backed up from winning a valuable race at Ascot a week ago and was one of three Spencer runners that finished in the first five in the 27 runner field.

Two Tribes' jockey David Egan had not been keen on his chances being drawn near the stands, but he made a mockery of the rider's judgement to win easily and land the winner's cheque of £129,000 ($171,000).

For Spencer it was just his second Glorious Goodwood winner, his previous back in 2018.

"He won even easier today than he did a week ago," said Egan.

"He was taking me there to the winning post more than me working on him.

"Not many do this double.

"He is a feisty fellow, when I rode him at Ascot he tried to put me on the floor.

"I am delighted to have won for Richard, as he is a good friend."

Al Aasy may be eight years of age but he can still show a clean pair of heels to his juniors, as he did earlier on Saturday in winning the Group Three Glorious Stakes for the second successive year.

Aside from being his eighth Group Three triumph, Al Aasy became the first back-to-back winner of the race since Capstan in 1981/82.

"Al Aasy has been brilliant," said winning jockey Jim Crowley.

"He was called a couple of names early on and I think it is very unjust now. I have finally learnt how to ride him!"

Al Aasy's trainer William Haggas returned to the winner's enclosure half an hour later after his Sam Hawkens landed a gamble in the Summer Handicap.

Haggas also owns him for good measure, his colours a gift from his late mother Christine Feather whose star horse had been 1982 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Silver Buck.

Haggas admitted bashfully that he had not intially been Sam Hawkens' biggest fan.

"Our son Sam wanted us to buy Sam Hawkens in an online sale last year and I thought he'd made a mistake -- we bought him and I didn't really like him, so I never sold him," said Haggas, who is to send him to Australia for his next race in October.

"Since we gelded him in the winter, he has taken a bit of time, but the horse has really thrived.

"He is obviously in good form and on good terms with himself."

There was to be no back-to-back wins for Haggas' Term of Endearment, who finished fourth in the Group Two Lillie Langtry Stakes.

Waardah took the honours under Callum Rodriguez for in-form trainer Owen Burrows.

"Nice problems to have in looking at moving up to Group One status now, the Yorkshire Oaks later this month and the Mares and Fillies at Ascot in October," said Burrows.