One of Irish racing’s stalwart partnerships, trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll, tasted Group One success for the first time in their careers when Cercene belied 33/1 odds to land Friday’s Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Murphy described it as the culmination of half a century of work after Cercene rallied when headed by the French favourite Zarigana inside the final furlong to win by half-a-length.
Back in third was Aidan O’Brien’s January while stretched further back were blue-blooded runners form some of racing’s powerhouse operations.
The diminutive Cercene had already belied her relatively meagre €50,000 purchase price by finishing third to Lake Victoria in the Irish Guineas.
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Having held a license since 1977, Murphy’s ability to make the most of his relatively small Co Tipperary string was well established. It might even have made Cercene’s SP something of an insult. But the pluck to take on such an elite challenge paid off in style.
A former dual-champion apprentice, Carroll (35) had previously enjoyed a couple of Royal Ascot wins for Gavin Cromwell. He recently got a boost with the likelihood of more rides for Ger Lyons on the back of Colin Keane’s Juddmonte appointment.
His abilities got the perfect shop window here as despite a slow start he got Cercene into a good position on the rail and was strong in the finish. His use of the whip, reportedly using it eight times, could yet prove costly in fines, but the satisfaction of a first top-flight victory was obvious.
“I’ve been riding a long time now and been placed in plenty of Group Ones. This is my first one and if I was ever to ride a Group One winner it was for Joe Murphy,” he said. “I’ve been riding for him since I was a 7lb claimer and he’s been very good to me so I’m delighted I can repay him.”
The wait was even longer for the trainer who commented: “This is 50 years of work, of love and care, and all for the owners we have, all our people. It’s just a whole group of people together. This is heaven on earth.
“It’s a lifetime’s ambition to have a Group One winner. She’s by Australia – a sire I love – and her half-brother (Perotto) won the Britannia so the pedigree was there: if she was an inch bigger, I wouldn’t have her!”
Another Irish trainer hitting the board this week was Willie Mullins, who landed the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap with Ethical Diamond under Ryan Moore. The 3/1 favourite was Mullins’ 11th Royal Ascot success.
“We will give him a little break and look at York, that is normally where we go from here. The Ebor would look possible. We would love to go to Melbourne. If we can get him qualified, that would be wonderful. We might see if we can get him Group-placed. I think he would suit the race,” he said.
Ireland’s tally for the week to date is nine winners with Aidan O’Brien saddling five of them. The best Irish haul ever at the meeting was 12 in 2022 with eight trainers contributing.
Friday’s other Group One, the Commonwealth Cup, also went to an outsider as the 25/1 Time For Sandals edged out the Irish hope Arizona Blaze. It was a second top-level victory of the week for trainer Harry Eustace who landed the Queen Anne with Docklands.
Venetian Sun was described by Karl Burke as the best juvenile filly he’s trained after an authoritative Albany Stakes success.
“I think Venetian Sun is a very special filly. The work she has done at home over the last six weeks – I haven’t had a two-year-old filly work like that. She has been kicking all the Group horses out of the way,” Burke said.
