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.
'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.'
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