Cercene showed tremendous resolution to spring a 33/1 surprise in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Third behind Lake Victoria in the Irish 1000 Guineas when last seen, she looked booked for second when the smooth-travelling 6/4 favourite Zarigana sauntered alongside a furlong-and-a-half out.
But crucially the French raider failed to put the race to bed there and then and the winner, under a strong Gary Carroll drive, fought her way back to the head of affairs and stayed there for a half-length success.
January (8/1) was a closer in third for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.
It represented a fairytale success for winning trainer Joe Murphy who said: “I suppose this is 50 years of work of growing from a small yard and switching from National Hunt to the Flat. I always believe when you buy horses that you believe they will be good. It is a lifetime’s ambition to have a Group One winner. She is by Australia, who is a sire I love, and her half brother won the Britannia, so her pedigree was there. If she was an inch bigger I wouldn’t have her.
“I was hoping Lake Victoria would stay in as we would have a lesser race and then we would have ridden her easier. She travelled well, and Gary gave her a great ride. Thinking as she is by Australia she will stay as well. When she was headed she came back again, but she waited for something to head her, but she is very tough and resilient. She is a dream to train. The plan was today so we will now draw new plans.
“All the work was done and I was at ease so it was up to her after that. We always believed in her, and we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t believe in her. If you look at the 1000 Guineas she was the only horse that passed three horses in the last furlong. I would have been very happy with a place, but the bonus is the win.”
“We have been second and third in Group Ones. We were second in the Irish 1000 Guineas and we were third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. We have been knocking on the door, but today we have opened it.”
Carroll said: “These very good horses are hard to come by, but I’m delighted to get one. I’ve been riding for Joe since I was a seven pound claimer. He said last week I was part of the family so they are not going to get rid of me now after today. It is unbelievable.
“The last day at the Curragh I thought we didn’t get rolling early enough, but today it was a stronger pace. When we turned in I got a smooth passage the whole way and I was happy enough to keep going forward. When I hit the front she waited a little bit, and I got headed, but she has a huge heart and battled hard.
“When I saw the draw I was quite happy as she has the pace to jump and travel and I know she is strong to the line. I got to follow Jim Crowley, who we wanted to follow, and he took me where I wanted to go, and she hit the front a furlong out.
“The French horse came past me, but she had a lot in reserve and she is very tough and she stuck her neck out. When the French horses didn’t go past me well it gave me a chance to fight back then I knew I had a chance.
“That is my third Royal Ascot winner and I’ve had plenty of placed horses. I’ve got a good strike rate at finishing in the first three here.
“I always thought she would go ten furlongs, but she is a strong travelling filly, but I don’t see why she won’t go ten furlongs. It (winning a Group One) was something I’ve strived to achieve all my life, as that is what you want to do, and to get there is an unbelievable feeling.”
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