The immediate classic focus is on Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby but connections of Ireland’s latest Group One star Cercene are looking to an ambitious Oaks attempt at the Curragh next month.
The Joe Murphy-trained filly pulled off a hugely popular 33/1 upset in Friday’s Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot under jockey Gary Carroll. It was a first top-flight victory for both Carroll and Murphy.
Having been training for almost 50 years, Murphy (70) described it as the culmination of a life’s work.
But having got a taste for elite success, the Cercene camp are after more and haven’t ruled their star out of a big hike in trip from a mile to 12 furlongs for the €500,000 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. That would likely mean a clash with Aidan O’Brien’s Epsom Oaks winner Minnie Hauk.
The trainer’s son and assistant, Joe Murphy jnr, said at the weekend: “All three races this year, prior to Ascot, have not really been run to suit her. They were a little bit slow and she got a little bit far back the first day in Leopardstown.
“She had a hold-up between Leopardstown and the Curragh the second day, and then the Guineas was run a little bit slow-paced. We were very confident we were going to be in the first three. She was massively overpriced.”
He added: “This was the plan, this was her first half of the year. I suppose we will have to think about an Irish Oaks. It is a three-year-old-only race and we will have to think about it. The sire (Australia) says she will (stay), the physical specimen probably says she won’t.
“She’ll race sensibly and she will do things right and we know she will try. I suppose no better place to find out (if she stays).”
Cercene was one of 10 Irish-trained winners at Royal Ascot, although she was the sole Group One success.
Aidan O’Brien was pipped at the line to be leading trainer again. His five winners were equal to John & Thady Gosden but the partnership had four runner-up finishes compared to O’Brien’s three. Ryan Moore was top rider for a 12th time with seven winners. They included Sober for Willie Mullins in Saturday’s finale.
Moore is likely to team up with the Epsom Derby winner Lambourn in this weekend’s Curragh classic. Lambourn is odds-on to become the 20th colt to pull off the Epsom-Curragh Derby double. Moore rode the last to manage it, Auguste Rodin in 2023, and won last year on Los Angeles.
Among those trying to stop him will be Shane Foley, who will try to deliver Jessica Harrington a landmark Derby success on Green Impact. The colt failed to fire in the 2000 Guineas before bouncing back with a Listed victory last time. Foley is confident of his stamina.
“I’ve always said it. He’s such a laid-back character and the way he races gives him every chance. If it’s a case that he doesn’t stay, which I do think he will, he can always come back to a mile-and-a-quarter. It’s definitely worth a try once,” he reported.
“He’s not going to be favourite but he’s going to be a lively outsider. Things can happen and change closer to the time but we’re going there with a fighting chance,” Foley added.
Colin Keane was an Irish Derby winner in 2022 on Westover for his new employers, Juddmonte.
After a busy week that started with riding in the French Oaks and continued through Royal Ascot, the champion jockey is back local at Ballinrobe on Monday evening for five rides at the Co Mayo track.
They include Donna Nook for Juddmonte in a handicap, although some of his outside spins could also make the trip west worthwhile.
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Positive Energy won on the flat for Willie McCreery last season and then won over hurdles for new trainer Michael O’Callaghan. He has a shot in another handicap while Molto Amichi may strike in a maiden. The 78-rated runner blew the start in his last race at Leopardstown and Keane teams up with him again.
The champion is on his father’s runner Beauparc in the finale although Heather, a sister to the 2018 Irish Derby winner Latrobe, is bred to relish the stamina test.
