Spencer happy to play waiting game with ‘exciting' Gold Digger
However, immediate plans are on hold for Gold Digger, with connections eager to take a patient approach with a filly Spencer describes as 'one of the best we've had for a while'.
'The form is very good but she had a little niggle after Ascot so she won't be out anytime shortly,' said the trainer.
'Whether we can get her back out in the autumn I don't know, but we won't be rushing her because she's very talented.
'She will be a three-year-old so we're not going to rush to get her back just for this year, so we'll mind her and if we have to, wait until next year.'
On plans for her return, Spencer added: 'If anything we will be dropping back to five furlongs to start off with then potentially stepping back up to six, but she's got so much speed. She got quicker from her Yarmouth debut to the Albany, so she'll be going five I would say wherever she goes.
'She won't run until she says she's ready and we won't be rushing, but she's exciting though and probably one of the best we've had for a while.'
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The Guardian
17 hours ago
- The Guardian
Bargain buy Two Tribes strikes again in Stewards' Cup at Goodwood
A £30,000 yearling that turned out to be a Classic winner hooked Phil Cunningham into the racing game 20 years ago, and a similarly shrewd purchase gave the owner one of his best days at the track on the final day of Glorious Goodwood. Two Tribes, one of three runners in Cunningham's colours in the Stewards' Cup, picked up the £75,000 first prize in a valuable handicap at Ascot last weekend and added the £125,000 pot for this feature race with an emphatic two-and-a-quarter length defeat of Strike Red. His two stable companions at the Richard Spencer yard crossed the line in fourth and fifth. 'He was a four-grand foal,' Cunningham said. 'That makes it even sweeter.' And better yet for Cunningham, Two Tribes is by the stallion Rajasinghe, who won the 2017 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for the owner in a course-record time. Cunningham was so frustrated at breeders' lack of interest in Rajasinghe in the early years of his stud career that he announced this year that he would offer his services for free. 'It's massive,' he said. 'We believed in the horse but unfortunately not many others have, so it's great to see him start getting some results. He's still a track-record holder at Royal Ascot, and at three grand [per cover] I couldn't give him away, so in the end, I did give him away. He did 58 covers after we did the free deal and at least I know he's going to have some runners on the track in a couple of years' time. If we hadn't made that decision, he'd have been sub-10.' It was Cockney Rebel, the winner of the 2,000 Guineas in England and Ireland in 2007 and the first horse that Cunningham owned outright, that gave a huge kickstart to his career on the turf nearly two decades ago. The colt is remembered in the name of his Rebel Racing and 'it has just got bigger and bigger' ever since. 'It's my passion and fortunately it's not my job,' Cunningham, the founder and chief executive of an insurance business, added. 'That makes it a bit easier to speculate. We changed the policy [two years ago], this is the second year where we've tried to buy a better quality of horse, spent more money. I wanted to come to days like today, you do get spoiled when you get a taste for it. 'We'll be reinvesting again at the yearling sales this year. We've already got six homebreds to come in as two-year-olds.' Waardah could be a horse to look out for in the last three months of the season after Owen Burrows's lightly raced three-year-old stepped up to a mile-and-three-quarters in ultimately decisive style in the Group Two Lillie Langtry Stakes. Waardah has an entry in the Group One Yorkshire Oaks later this month but the Fillies & Mares event at Ascot on Champions Day in October is a likelier assignment. Chester: 2.10 Princess Rascal (nap) 2.45 Laazm 3.20 Lucky Hero 3.52 Kassaya (nb) 4.22 Abduction 4.52 Yanifer 5.22 Risen Again. Yarmouth: 2.32 Moon Target 3.07 B Associates 3.42 Argentum 4.12 Arundel 4.42 Last Outlaw 5.12 Ventura Dream. 'I thought she was going to get outstayed, but in the last half furlong she was probably going away again,' Burrows said. 'She will have no trouble going back to a mile-and-a-half either, so she is an exciting filly. 'She is in the Yorkshire Oaks, though I think it's important that she gets a little bit of juice in the ground. We will see how she comes out of this, but I think Ascot at the end of the year for the [Group One] Fillies & Mares would be right up her street.'
The Independent
18 hours ago
- The Independent
Two Tribes caps glorious training performance by Richard Spencer to win the Stewards' Cup
Two Tribes capped a fabulous training performance by Richard Spencer in defying a penalty to win the feature race on the final day at Glorious Goodwood, the Coral Stewards' Cup. With the stands side favoured the four-year-old, who was drawn in stall 25 of 28, got a dream run under David Egan. Always travelling, his pilot had him clear of trouble and he kicked on for a decisive two-length success, defying the penalty he'd earned for last week's Ascot win. Seven days ago he had won over a stiff enough 7f at the Berkshire track on ground described as good. The softer ground here probably helped him, in that it made the race a greater test of stamina than perhaps might have been the case on quick ground. In addition to the winner, Spencer also saddled fourth-placed Run Boy Run, who came from stall 19 and fifth-placed Twilight Calls (stall 11), who his trainer said he felt would have finished closer had he had a high draw. When the field split, he'd gone with the far side group. A cock-a-hoop Spencer admitted that he'd nearly swerved the race with Two Tribes after last week's exertions: 'It was just the way he came out of that race and the fact that he got in here under his penalty. 'He didn't have a saddle on his back until Wednesday and Danny who rides him out at home said he was fresh and well and I was happy with what I was seeing. He's done very little from Wednesday until today but we had to have a go. 'Today the ground was a bit easier and it's probably brought out a test of stamina and David seems to have a great tune out of him both last week and this week. He's jumped and travelled. He's actually laying up with Run Boy Run and I thought they were going quick enough because he's no slouch and he did well to finish fourth, so it was great. 'I thought they'd be bang close. I thought all three had really good each-way chances. I couldn't really split 'em. On the back of last week you always worry is it going to be too soon but it wasn't. I'm dying to get Run Boy Run back to six with the visors on and Twilight Calls... he will win a big one. He was drawn on the wrong side today and he's done well to finish where he did.' Earlier, Al Aawy got favourite backers off to a flying start (13.20). The first of a quickfire double for trainer William Haggas, he was held up by Jim Crowley, travelling smoothly throughout before asserting down the home straight to win by three lengths. That made it back-to-back wins in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes for him. A delighted Haggas said: 'Isn't Al Aasy marvellous? He is a fabulous horse. He is pretty reliable in this grade when things set up like that. They didn't go very fast today and he usually likes a stronger pace. But they picked up well up the straight, he still found a gear and actually ran on strongly today. Usually, he wins by half a length or a neck. 'He has been called some names. I just wish people would respect him for what he is. He is a very talented horse. You need to wait, and wait, and wait some more if you can. I think he enjoyed a bit of cut in the ground today as well.' Sam Hawkens set for trip Down Under The first of the day's tricky contest, the Coral Summer Handicap (13.55) saw Haggas-trained Sam Hawkens produced beautifully by Tom Marquand to become another winning favourite. Aeronautic ran up there in the vanguard throughout and travelled as well as anything through the first mile and a half. He looked to be in the best position, with plenty having won from the front during the week. However, when push came to shove, he was unable to quicken as well as either Dancing In Paris, who finished second, or the winner. Haggas, who owns the winner with his wife Maureen, said: 'My mother owned Silver Buck. He was a wonderful horse and she left the colours to me when she passed away. '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. 'Since we gelded him in the winter, he has taken a bit of time. He has a lovely girl, Michaela Weld, who rides him every day and absolutely adores him, and the horse has really thrived. 'He is obviously in good form and on good terms with himself. He went to Newcastle and won, he went to Hamilton and won, and he's come to a big race today and won, so it's great. 'I have something in mind, yes, I think it's at Rosehill. We have booked a place in quarantine on September 5, and the race is on October 18, so I think we'll go now. He will probably race for us, but he might not be owned by me!' Waardah wins battle royal in Lille Langtry Stakes There was a cracking renewal of the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (14.30), where the fillies and mares took centre stage. The 1m6f trip was clearly a step up that was relished by the Owen Burrows-trained Waardah. Travelling well off the pace, the winner had the game Danielle and the improving Irish filly Goodie Two Shoes, as well as leader Allonsy, in her sights throughout. The leaders got racing quite early but Callum Rodriguez sat tight and once Danielle had seen off the remainder, he produced Waardah down the outside. The pair then had a real set-to throughout the final furlong, drawing clear of the field, with Waardah eventually get up by three parts of a length. Burrows said: 'Callum said Waardah switched off great, and in hindsight, he probably got there a little bit too soon, but we are still learning about her. She is inexperienced but very honest. "I thought when the runner-up came to her, she was going to get outstayed, but in the last half furlong she was probably going away again. She will have no trouble going back to a mile and a half either, so she is an exciting filly. 'She has always shown up well at home, so it was no surprise she won first time up, even though it was only a four-runner race. We stepped her up into Listed class, but she didn't really handle Newmarket back then. 'I keep bleating on about it, but we could never get onto the grass to get some good work into her. She was a bit keen at home, that's why I ran her over a mile first time, I just needed to get that buzz out of her. 'She is in the Yorkshire Oaks, although I think it is important that she gets a little bit of juice in the ground. We will see how she comes out of this, but I think Ascot at the end of the year for the Fillies and Mares would be right up her street.' Mudbir continues to thrive with a win in the Whispering Angel Handicap John and Thady Gosden got what had been a relatively quiet day for them into full swing when Mudbir survived a stewards' enquiry to land the Whispering Angel Handicap (15.45). The Kingman colt, who is a sibling to two Group 1 winners, looks destined to be tried at a higher level after what was a third win from his last five starts. Having shown promise on soft ground on his debut, he won a Chelmsford maiden (1m, AW) and then looked suited when dropped back to a strongly run 7f at Sandown (good to firm). He showed improved form there when winning and defied a 2lb rise this time. He looks sure to go on to better things, while fellow Sandown winner Dance In The Storm lost no caste in defeat. The winner was the second leg of a double on the day for jockey Jim Crowley and a 100th Goodwood winner for the former champion. Aidan O'Brien is never too far from the winners' enclosure and he hit the mark again with Isaac Newton (16.20). Partnered by Ryan Moore, he always had the leaders in his sights, his pilot giving him plenty of time to line them up and take aim. His promising debut effort, which appeared to have taken connections slightly by surprise, was proved to be no fluke, as he came there with a sustained run to scored by three-quarters of a length from Evanesco.
The Herald Scotland
18 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Two Tribes secures big-race double in Stewards' Cup
With David Egan again in the saddle, 11-2 shot Two Tribes was up with the pace from the start in the group that raced closest to the stands' rail and took over the lead from last year's winner Get It entering the final two furlongs. His stablemate Run Boy Run looked the biggest threat over on the far side of the track entering the closing stages, but Two Tribes kept up the gallop and was well on top as he passed the post with just over two lengths in hand. Two Tribes runs out a classy winner of the @Coral Stewards' Cup — Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) August 2, 2025 Strike Red and Jakajaro chased him home in second and third respectively, with Run Boy Run fourth and another Spencer runner in Twilight Calls fifth. 'I thought all three of them had really good chances leading into it, but Two Tribes is in great form and when you get a sprinter in this sort of form they're hard to beat,' the trainer told Racing TV. 'Two runs in seven days is hard for any horse, but at this level it's even harder. They're not small fields, they're 28-runner races and the tempo is hard. 'It's crazy how far he's won today, I didn't expect him to do that in a million years, but it's great. 'We've got no immediate plans, we'll just have to see what the handicapper does – I think he's probably going to give him a fair whack for that today. We'll let the dust settle and see where we go.' Two Tribes (black cap) winning the Stewards' Cup (Andrew Matthews/PA) Phil Cunningham, who owns all three Spencer-trained runners, said: 'It all happened quite quickly. Having three runners in a race like this is a dream but it's quite difficult to try to follow them when it's a short trip and a big field. 'It's an amazing day. Honestly, after he won last Saturday, we weren't going to run him today. Richard said we were going to keep him at seven furlongs but we had a change of plan on Wednesday and obviously I'm delighted that we have. 'It was a team decision but when you have a horse that's qualified to run in a race like this, at a festival, with the prize money on offer, I think you've got to take your chance. 'Every next big win is probably the best one. We've been very lucky to have some lovely winners in the past, but you always chase the next one. Saturday winners and festival winners are what we do this for. 'Richard has done an amazing job. I thought he was brave trying to saddle three on his own but we got it done and we've got lots to look forward to with the group of horses that we have got, which are gradually creeping up in quality.'
