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Cercene's Coronation Stakes win ends long wait for Joseph Murphy

Yahoo

30 minutes ago

Sport
Yahoo

Cercene's Coronation Stakes win ends long wait for Joseph Murphy

A lifetime of hope and endeavour enjoyed a glorious reward here on Friday as Joseph Murphy, who is two years short of a half-century with a trainer's licence, finally added a Group One winner to his record as Cercene, at 33-1, edged out the 6-4 favourite, Zarigana, in the Coronation Stakes, the feature event on day four at Royal Ascot. 'It's 50 years of work by the family,' Murphy said afterwards. 'Going from a small yard, switching from National Hunt to the Flat and always believing, buying horses and believing that they're going to be good. It's a lifetime's ambition to have a Group One winner.' Advertisement Cercene had to dig deep for the win, as Zarigana headed her at the furlong pole but then failed to put the race to bed. Cercene, though, did her trainer proud, pulling out more all the way to the line to get home by half a length. Francis-Henri Graffard, Zarigana's trainer, suggested afterwards that he might 'need to buy a pair of blinkers', but the will to win that Cercene showed when it mattered is a vital part of a true Group One winner's makeup. Related: Royal Ascot 2025: Cercene claims major Coronation Stakes shock on day four – live Cercene went off at a big price, but she had finished a four-length third behind Lake Victoria – a warm ante-post favourite for this race until injury intervened – in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in late May. She settled well in fourth for Gary Carroll, her jockey, as Falakeyah, the second-favourite, cut out the running, and as Falakeyah faded in the straight, Carroll was perfectly positioned both to strike for home and then take advantage as Zarigana's momentum faltered. 'Decent horses are very hard to come by and I've been lucky enough to find one with a huge heart,' Carroll said. 'If I was ever to ride a Group One winner, I'm delighted it was for Joe Murphy. He's been supporting me since I was a 7lb claimer, a long, long time. Advertisement 'The French horse [Zarigana] came and she actually got headed, but she's very tough, she stuck her head out and really went to the line for me.' It was very much a day for smaller family operations as earlier in the afternoon, Harry Eustace's Time For Sandals, another outsider at 25-1, had taken the Group One Commonwealth Cup, and since Eustace also won the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday, the yard now has two more Group Ones at this year's meeting than Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle. 'The most concerning part was her draw [in stall one],' Eustace said. 'When Karl Burke's filly [Venetian Sun in the opening Albany Stakes] came out of one, everyone just stuck there [and] we had plenty of pace. 'It's the first time she's had a fast horse to follow. We were… I don't want to say very confident, but we just felt we hadn't seen the best from her for one reason or another. We were always confident in a race like this, where there would be fast horses taking her along, that's really what she needed.' Advertisement James Eustace, Harry's father, trained at the family's Park Lodge Stables for 30 years before passing on the licence in 2020, and his other son, David, has enjoyed a successful training career in Australia and Hong Kong, highlighted by a Melbourne Cup success with Gold Trip in 2022. 'If we did anything, we instilled a work ethic in them,' Eustace said, 'hopefully by example rather than by a long tom, but we were so lucky from day one that they loved the whole thing. 'We tried to make Harry go to university, he went to Edinburgh for two years, enjoyed himself immensely and then dropped out and went to Australia to work in racing, and hasn't looked back.' Venetian Sun will be aimed towards next year's 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket after her decisive win in the opening Albany Stakes. Advertisement 'I think she's a very special filly,' Karl Burke, Venetian Sun's trainer, said. 'The work she's done at home, I haven't had a two-year-old filly work like that. Just the last couple of months, six weeks, she's kicking all the Group horses out of the way at home.' Venetian Sun was backed from 12-1 to 7-1 before her win – 'given the confidence Karl gave us, we had to have a decent bet,' Tony Bloom, Venetian Sun's co-owner, said afterwards – and is a 25-1 shot for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May 2026. The fourth day concluded with Aidan O'Brien and the John & Thady Gosden stables tied on five winners each ahead of tomorrow's seven-race card. The race for the jockeys' award is also just about in play, as Oisin Murphy's win on Adrestia in the last was his fourth of the meeting, two behind Ryan Moore's tally of six. Satono Reve can deliver overdue win for Japan A dozen runners from Japan have tried and failed to become the country's first winner at Royal Ascot since the turn of the century, but the 13th could finally make the breakthrough on the final day of this year's Royal meeting, when Satono Reve will go to post with a leading chance in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. Advertisement Noriyuki Hori's six-year-old is a Grade One winner in Japan and also finished within a length of Ka Ying Rising, the world's top-rated sprinter, in a Group One at Sha Tin in December. He was two-and-a-quarter lengths behind Ka Ying Rising at the same track in April before heading to the UK, and has been given plenty of time to acclimatise after arriving in Newmarket on 2 May. Satono Reve (3.40) is up against a deep and international field, with fancied runners from France and Ireland as well as a strong local defence led by last year's Commonwealth Cup winner, Inisherin. At his best, though, he is the equal of any of Saturday's runners and it is also a positive sign that João 'Magic Man' Moreira, who was in the saddle for his big run in December, has flown in to take the ride. Advertisement Royal Ascot 2.30: Aidan O'Brien is going for a sixth win in nine years with Moments Of Joy but she may struggle against the €2m Frankel colt Treanmor, who was sent off at 1-3 for his debut in May and powered four lengths clear with minimal encouragement. Redcar 1.10 Try Storm Cat 1.43 Jungle Monarch 2.14 Paco's Pride 2.49 Tiva 3.21 Azure Angel 4.05 Lima Sierra 4.45 Park Street Newmarket 2.03 Crowd Quake 2.38 Commander's Intent 3.10 Elarak 3.45 Circe 4.25 Red Flyer 5.05 Diamont Katie Royal Ascot 2.30 Treanmor 3.05 Rebel's Romance 3.40 Satono Reve (nb) 4.20 Remmooz 5.00 Purosangue (nap) 5.35 Ernst Blofeld 6.10 Sober Advertisement Ayr 4.10 Mo Of Cairo 4.50 Lion's House 5.25 Oneforthegutter 5.55 Enchanting 6.33 Superior Council 7.08 Pinjarra 7.38 Coeur Jaune 8.08 Woohoo Bangor-on-Dee 3.55 Barranco 4.35 Obsessedwithyou 5.15 Leading Force 5.50 Solent Gateway 6.25 Bellbird 7.00 Chillhi 7.30 Lord Cauvelliere Lingfield 5.45 Laser Focus 6.20 Skimming Along 6.53 Lovethiswayagain 7.23 Latynina 7.55 Blue Collar Lad 8.25 Banksman 8.55 Beelzebub Haydock 6.00 Burj Jabeel 6.40 Sugar Hill Babe 7.15 Gold Dawn 7.45 Duke's Command 8.15 Arkhalia Flynn 8.45 Pomme Pomme Royal Ascot 3.05: Rebel's Romance had enough class to win last month's Yorkshire Cup without being ideally suited by the step up in trip, and the return to 12 furlongs here will play to his many strengths. Advertisement Royal Ascot 4.20: The progressive Remmooz has shown enough in two wins this season to suggest he can improve past more exposed opponents. Royal Ascot 5.00: Oisin Murphy's mount Purosangue was less than two lengths behind likely favourite More Thunder at Newmarket last time without being given a hard time, is 8lb better off today and has been drawn well in 22. Royal Ascot 5.35: Ernst Blofeld does not have much to find to take a hand in the finish on the basis of his handicap debut at Newbury and cheekpieces could eke out the necessary improvement. Royal Ascot 6.10: Willie Mullins's Sober was a dual Group Two winner for André Fabre in 2023 and has several pounds in hand of his rivals.

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

Irish Times

40 minutes ago

Sport
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.

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

Irish Examiner

41 minutes ago

Sport
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."

Royal Ascot: Shock winners steal spotlight as Dubai contenders look for final flourish

Khaleej Times

an hour ago

Sport
Khaleej Times

Royal Ascot: Shock winners steal spotlight as Dubai contenders look for final flourish

If racing fans needed a reminder of Royal Ascot's unpredictable magic, it arrived in the form of two sensational upsets in the meeting's marquee races - the Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) and the Coronation Stakes (Group 1). On a day when favourites faltered and longshots dominated, it was a celebration of the openness that defines this prestigious turf spectacle where every horse, every trainer, and every dream has a chance of becoming a reality. The feature event for three-year-old fillies, the Coronation Stakes (Group 1), delivered a fairytale outcome for the Irish contingent. Cercene, a 33-1 outsider trained by Tipperary-based Joseph Murphy and ridden with determination by Gary Carroll, pulled off one of the most memorable wins of the meeting. In a race billed as a duel between French star Zarigani and British hope Falakeyah, it was Cercene who stole the headlines, battling back bravely to deny the odds-on favourite and etch her name into Royal Ascot folklore. It was a moment of personal and professional pride for Carroll, who twice claimed Ireland's champion apprentice title and comes from a lineage steeped in racing. His father, John Carroll, was one of the first British jockeys to wear the Godolphin silks and notably won the 2002 UAE 1,000 Guineas aboard Infinite Spirit at Nad Al Sheba racecourse in Dubai. The Senior Carroll's early contributions in Dubai helped lay the groundwork for Godolphin's global success - a legacy echoed in his son's Royal Ascot triumph. Earlier in the day, Harry Eustace's remarkable week continued when Time For Sandals, a 25-1 long shot, burst to Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) glory under Epsom Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote who won the British Classic aboard Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail's Desert Crown in 2022. The lightly raced filly, making just her third career start, stormed down the far rail to seize the lead inside the final furlong and held off Arizona Blaze and Rayevka in a thrilling finish. It marked Eustace's second Group 1 success of the meeting following Docklands's victory in the Group 1 showpiece on the opening day - the Queen Anne Stakes. In contrast, Dubai's runners endured a frustrating day but will be hoping to close out the five-day extravaganza on a high note on Saturday. The final day of the meeting offers opportunities in four of the seven races -the Chesham Stakes, Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2), Jersey Stakes (Group 3) and the Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap). All eyes will be on Godolphin and other UAE-based operations to deliver a final flourish. Meanwhile, the Royal Enclosure turned heads of its own, with Queen Camilla catching fashion-watchers' attention by carrying a classic Lady Dior handbag. Designed in 1994 by Dior's then-artistic director Gianfranco Ferré, the bag was renamed 'Lady Dior' as a tribute to Princess Diana, who famously carried it on several occasions.

Royal Ascot: Cercene springs surprise in Coronation Stakes

RTÉ News