Royal Ascot: Coronation Stakes attracts 11 fillies

Falakeyah and Zarigana top 11 contenders for Friday's Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Owen Burrows-trained Falakeyah was supplemented for the mile Group One following an effortless Listed win in Newmarket's Pretty Polly Stakes, with connections opting by bypass a possible Prix de Diane run.
Francis-Henri Graffard's Zarigana was crowned winner of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in the Longchamp stewards' room following the demotion of Shes Perfect to second and she will clash again with fourth-placed Exactly, who is one of two for Aidan O'Brien along with January.
Ollie Sangster fields both Flight and Simmering, second and third in the 1000 Guineas, with Duty First, Kon Tiki, Cathedral, Cercene and Chantilly Lace completing the field.
The Commonwealth Cup has drawn a bumper field of 22, headed by 2000 Guineas third Shadow Of Light, who will be dropping back to six furlongs for Charlie Appleby.
Babouche, Jonquil, Whistlejacket, Ides Of March and Big Mojo are other leading names in the Group One contest, for which only Seattle was not declared.
The opening Albany Stakes boasts a 17-strong line up, with Karl Burke having made no secret of his regard for ante-post favourite Venetian Sun. Fitzella, Gold Digger and O'Brien's Signora are also towards the head of the betting.
Derby seventh Green Storm and 12th Nightwalker bid for compensation in the King Edward VII Stakes, in which Ralph Beckett's unbeaten gelding Amiloc is set to be a popular choice.
Puppet Master won the Lingfield Derby Trial but bypassed Epsom and he is one of two for O'Brien along with Naas winner Galveston. Dante third Wimbledon Hawkeye runs for James Owen, while the progressive Zahrann represents Johnny Murtagh.
Teumessias Fox heads a maximum 19-strong field for the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, with 28 to go to post in both the Palace of Holyrood House Stakes and the Sandringham.

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The 42

14 hours ago

• The 42

Irish joy as Cercene upstages Zarigana in Coronation Stakes

CERCENE GAVE JOCKEY Gary Carroll and trainer Joseph Murphy a day to remember when bravely holding off French hotpot Zarigana to land the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Billed as a clash between French 1,000 Guineas winner Zarigana and Owen Burrows' supplemented Falakeyah, it was the Irish outsider who stole the show to become the race's longest-priced winner at 33-1. Falakeyah's challenge faded tamely having raced keenly, but 6-4 favourite Zarigana looked prime to pounce in hands of Mickael Barzalona and in fact looked to briefly have passed Cercene. However, Irish 1,000 third Cercene was not to be denied and proved her Curragh performance was no fluke as she battled back to secure a half-length verdict. Murphy said: 'We always liked her. We left her a little longer but good fillies you always leave a little longer, you never put them over. Advertisement 'He got her switched off, he's confident and he's ridden for me 17 years now. 'This is 50 years of work, that's what it is, 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 and if she was an inch bigger I wouldn't have her! 'I was hoping Lake Victoria stayed in because we'd have a lesser race and then we'd have pace and ride her easier, you know what I mean. 'She travelled well, Gary gave her a great ride, and we were thinking that being by Australia she'd stay as well. She was headed and came back again. She waited for something to head her, but she's very tough and a dream to train. The plan was today so now we'll draw new plans.' Carroll said: 'It's unbelievable. 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. 'I've been riding for him since I was a 7lb claimer and he's been very, very good to me so I'm delighted I can repay him. 'She ran a blinder at the Curragh where the slow pace didn't suit. We went a bit better gallop there today, got to the front a furlong and a half out and she waited, the French horse came and headed me; to be fair to this one she's not big but she's very tough and she stuck her head out for me. 'It's hugely satisfying to win a Group One. They're so hard to come by. Good horses are very hard to come by. To do this, Royal Ascot, magic. 'After the Guineas run, a better run race there she'd have finished closer again, I think she's taken a step forward from there and she's ultra-tough, she doesn't know when to give up.'

Irish Times

16 hours ago

• Irish Times

Cercene provides Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll with first Group One success in Coronation

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. READ MORE 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.' Cercene, ridden by Gary Carroll, winning the Coronation Stakes on day four at Royal Ascot. Photograph:for Ascot Racecourse 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.

Irish Examiner

16 hours ago

• Irish Examiner

Cercene upstages Zarigana while Eithical Diamond shines on momentous day at Royal Ascot for Willie Mullins

Cercene gave jockey Gary Carroll and trainer Joseph Murphy a day to remember when bravely holding off French hotpot Zarigana to land the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Billed as a clash between French 1,000 Guineas winner Zarigana and Owen Burrows' supplemented Falakeyah, it was the Irish outsider who stole the show to become the race's longest-priced winner at 33-1. Falakeyah's challenge faded tamely having raced keenly, but 6-4 favourite Zarigana looked prime to pounce in hands of Mickael Barzalona and in fact looked to briefly have passed Cercene. However, Irish 1,000 third Cercene was not to be denied and proved her Curragh performance was no fluke as she battled back to secure a half-length verdict. Murphy said: "We always liked her. We left her a little longer but good fillies you always leave a little longer, you never put them over. "He got her switched off, he's confident and he's ridden for me 17 years now. "This is 50 years of work, that's what it is, 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 and if she was an inch bigger I wouldn't have her! "I was hoping Lake Victoria stayed in because we'd have a lesser race and then we'd have pace and ride her easier, you know what I mean. "She travelled well, Gary gave her a great ride, and we were thinking that being by Australia she'd stay as well. She was headed and came back again. She waited for something to head her, but she's very tough and a dream to train. The plan was today so now we'll draw new plans." Carroll said: "It's unbelievable. 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. "I've been riding for him since I was a 7lb claimer and he's been very, very good to me so I'm delighted I can repay him. "She ran a blinder at the Curragh where the slow pace didn't suit. We went a bit better gallop there today, got to the front a furlong and a half out and she waited, the French horse came and headed me; to be fair to this one she's not big but she's very tough and she stuck her head out for me. "It's hugely satisfying to win a Group One. They're so hard to come by. Good horses are very hard to come by. To do this, Royal Ascot, magic. "After the Guineas run, a better run race there she'd have finished closer again, I think she's taken a step forward from there and she's ultra-tough, she doesn't know when to give up." Earlier Ethical Diamond made it a momentous day at Royal Ascot for Willie Mullins when powering down the outside to win the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes in the hands of Ryan Moore. Mullins and his wife Jackie had taken part in the royal procession before racing and his dual-purpose performer had no trouble in justifying 3-1 favouritism. Fourth last year, he was 2lb higher having also finished fourth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham - but the result barely looked in doubt and he came home two lengths clear of Mutaawid and Naqeeb. Mullins said: "Last year he just ran too free and things didn't work out for him, but he still ran a cracker to be fourth so I thought if we get things right this year he had a real live chance and it worked out that way. "We will give him a little break, bring him home; we will look at York next, a race like the Ebor. We'd love to (go to Australia) if we could get him qualified, that was my first thought coming in. "I think he would handle a trip to Australia, he wears the hood because he's a bit keen, but that'd be no problem. "There's a big one over hurdles in him too, but for the moment we'll concentrate on Flat racing." He added: "These are just fantastic days, Jackie was just saying to me coming in here today 'just enjoy it', and then to have a winner on top that is the cherry on the cake. "Tuesday was a little disappointing, but we live to fight another day and hopefully Reaching High (unlucky in the Ascot Stakes for the King and Queen) will be back for the same race next year. Ryan had nowhere to go, he was just locked in on the inside and that was that." Ed Walker's profitable season continued when Never Let Go (22-1) pounced late to win the Sandringham Stakes. Walker has enjoyed a string of Group-race successes this season but the victory will have meant plenty to the man on top, Kieran Shoemark, who has endured a trying time this season with the defeat of Field Of Gold in the 2000 Guineas. Low numbers once again dominated on the straight track, after three days of high numbers being favoured, with Never Let Go beating Cajole - trained by the Gosdens - by a length. The King and Queen were out of luck with their runner, Purple Rainbow, who was handy early but faded. Walker said: "When Kieran lost the job with John and Thady (Gosden), I said, 'I don't mean to be selfish, but I'm thrilled because it means I can use you more!'. He's a great jockey, a great guy and he will bounce back." He added of his winner: "I think she can go on. The family get better with time, she's still very raw and unfurnished and leggy."