Murphy monitoring Goodwood going for Nassau hope Cercene
Just seven fillies remain in contention for the 10-furlong Group One following the confirmation stage, with Aidan O'Brien's Oaks runner-up and Pretty Polly Stakes winner Whirl the 6-4 favourite with Coral.
The Andrew Balding-trained See The Fire is next in the betting at 7-4, having finished third against the boys in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, where Joe Murphy's Cercene ran out a surprise winner of the Coronation Stakes over a mile.
33/1! CERCENE WINS THE CORONATION STAKES! #ROYALASCOT pic.twitter.com/cba83YNxWV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2025
With connections of the latter subsequently deciding against stepping up to a mile and a half for the Irish Oaks, she is set to run over the intermediate distance on the Sussex Downs, with Coral making her an 8-1 shot, but Murphy is keeping an eye on underfoot conditions.
'The plan is to go for the Nassau, ground permitting – we don't want any rain,' he said on Friday.
'We're very happy with the filly, but if there's any soft in the ground I couldn't see her going. Good/good to firm would suit us perfect.
'We thought going the mile and a quarter would be better for future reference, rather than going straight to a mile and a half (in the Irish Oaks). We've no problems with a mile and a half as she's a very relaxed filly, but she travels well.'
On handling the undulations of Goodwood, Murphy added: 'She's a very well balanced filly and we don't envisage any problems with it, but you don't know until you try.
'There's only one Nassau, it's a good race and they're the races you want to win.'
Whirl is one of two potential runners for O'Brien along with French Oaks runner-up Bedtime Story, with Karl Burke's Fallen Angel, John and Thady Gosden's Running Lion and Gavin Hernon's potential French raider Dare To Dream the other hopefuls.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Jel Pepper among strong British contingent in Ballyhane Stakes
The winner gave that form a significant boost by following up in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on Tuesday and connections of Jel Pepper are expecting a bold showing from their charge in Monday's €200,000 feature in County Kildare. 'Jel Pepper is a good horse who ran very well in the July Stakes and we have missed Goodwood with him to go to Naas,' said Oliver Cole. 'It is great prize money and I believe the ground will be on the easy side of good which will play to his strengths as he likes a bit of a cut in the ground. 'It is quite daunting coming to Ireland because there are so many good horses but these races are fantastic and it is brilliant to have a horse good enough to take part.' Jel Pepper is one of five British-trained contenders along with Richard Fahey's Cosmic Clarets, the George Scott-trained Front Line Fury and Kevin Ryan's pair of Tropical Dreamer and There's A Chance. Scott's contender missed out on a hat-trick when denied by a head at Ascot last time, but the Newmarket handler has plenty of belief in his solid operator ahead of this raiding mission. He said: 'He's a really dependable two-year-old who just turns up runs his race and always seems to be improving. 'I'm really pleased with him and he's taken another step forward since Ascot where he was very much a sitting duck. 'We think we are well drawn but you never quite know and I guess it will depend on where the pace and quality in the race is. I think he will go and run his usual solid race and will be there and thereabouts at the finish. 'He arguably has to come forward again from what he's shown but he's a tough horse and really cool and I'm very fond of him.' The home team is headed by Joseph O'Brien's Prix Robert Papin winner Green Sense.
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Leader Live
Get It back to defend Stewards' Cup title for Baker
The seven-year-old blazed a trail for a shock 40-1 success 12 months ago and after a similar story in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot when again making all, the speedster is out to continue his rich vein of form off a career-high mark. 'I didn't think we would win a Wokingham off 100 and do I think we will win a Stewards' Cup off 104? Well it's a massive ask,' said Baker on the task at hand. FROM THE FRONT! GET IT WINS THE WOKINGHAM STAKES! #ROYALASCOT — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2025 'But these sprinters, when they get in a good place and it's their time, you just have to roll with them. 'It's such a dull cliché but he genuinely owes us nothing. To saddle him with a Stewards' Cup and Wokingham already under his belt is a massive thrill and privilege, but if he could add another chapter it would be extraordinary.' Goodwood was hit with a deluge on Thursday, but Baker is praying for drying conditions ahead of Saturday's feature event to allow his thriving speedball to notch another notable success. 'I hope we don't see any more rain until Saturday evening and he enjoys it when it's rattling fast, so he'll be fine on good ground but we don't want it soft,' continued Baker. 'There's nothing we can do about the weather though and we'll take our chances unless it will be really horrible. 'The higher we go up the handicap, the closer we are to running in Group races and we're on the cusp of that now. It will be tough but a sprinter in a good place can be a potent force.' Joining Get It towards the top of the betting markets is Kevin Ryan's Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes runner-up Hammer The Hammer and William Haggas' Elmonjed, who is out to defy a 6lb penalty after landing a competitive heat at York only last Saturday. Haggas said: 'It's not ideal running him under the penalty. He was only put up 3lb yet he's carrying 6lb more here. Elmonjed takes the Sky Bet Dash Handicap for Team Haggas and Shadwell! 🥇#ITVRacing |@yorkracecourse |@Shadwell_EU | @JimCrowley1978 | @WilliamHaggas — ITV Racing (@itvracing) July 26, 2025 'But he's clearly in form, he loves a fast pace and I just hope we're on the right side (stall eight). 'At the moment no one knows where you want to be. Nobody knows. 'I remember one year James Fanshawe never turned up for the draw, they put his horse (Zidane in 2007) back in the hat and gave him the last stall and he came out and won, so there are no rules.' Another quickly returned to the track under a 6lb penalty after notable success last weekend is Richard Spencer's Two Tribes, who has convinced his handler to try six furlongs once again after landing the International Handicap over seven at Ascot. 'He's not got a bad draw, drawn high (25), and he's fresh and well after his win last week,' said Spencer. 'He's run well over six furlongs before and this is a very big pot. The penalty last week ensured him a run and he came out of Ascot really well. I know I said we wouldn't go for this race and run over six again, but we're going to throw our hat in the ring on Saturday and hopefully he can run well.' Two Tribes is part of a three-strong hand for the Newmarket trainer, with Spencer also calling upon Run Boy Run and experienced Group performer Twilight Calls. Spencer said: 'Run Boy Run has a high enough draw (19) hopefully and he's going to have a visor on which is something I've been waiting to do on a run over six furlongs not seven. He's got a good each-way chance and with the visor on, there could be some improvement from him. 'Hopefully Twilight Calls gets a good tow into the race and could run well as he did very well in the Wokingham off a higher mark and all three have got sort of chances.'
Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- Rhyl Journal
Get It back to defend Stewards' Cup title for Baker
The seven-year-old blazed a trail for a shock 40-1 success 12 months ago and after a similar story in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot when again making all, the speedster is out to continue his rich vein of form off a career-high mark. 'I didn't think we would win a Wokingham off 100 and do I think we will win a Stewards' Cup off 104? Well it's a massive ask,' said Baker on the task at hand. FROM THE FRONT! GET IT WINS THE WOKINGHAM STAKES! #ROYALASCOT — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2025 'But these sprinters, when they get in a good place and it's their time, you just have to roll with them. 'It's such a dull cliché but he genuinely owes us nothing. To saddle him with a Stewards' Cup and Wokingham already under his belt is a massive thrill and privilege, but if he could add another chapter it would be extraordinary.' Goodwood was hit with a deluge on Thursday, but Baker is praying for drying conditions ahead of Saturday's feature event to allow his thriving speedball to notch another notable success. 'I hope we don't see any more rain until Saturday evening and he enjoys it when it's rattling fast, so he'll be fine on good ground but we don't want it soft,' continued Baker. 'There's nothing we can do about the weather though and we'll take our chances unless it will be really horrible. 'The higher we go up the handicap, the closer we are to running in Group races and we're on the cusp of that now. It will be tough but a sprinter in a good place can be a potent force.' Joining Get It towards the top of the betting markets is Kevin Ryan's Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes runner-up Hammer The Hammer and William Haggas' Elmonjed, who is out to defy a 6lb penalty after landing a competitive heat at York only last Saturday. Haggas said: 'It's not ideal running him under the penalty. He was only put up 3lb yet he's carrying 6lb more here. Elmonjed takes the Sky Bet Dash Handicap for Team Haggas and Shadwell! 🥇#ITVRacing |@yorkracecourse |@Shadwell_EU | @JimCrowley1978 | @WilliamHaggas — ITV Racing (@itvracing) July 26, 2025 'But he's clearly in form, he loves a fast pace and I just hope we're on the right side (stall eight). 'At the moment no one knows where you want to be. Nobody knows. 'I remember one year James Fanshawe never turned up for the draw, they put his horse (Zidane in 2007) back in the hat and gave him the last stall and he came out and won, so there are no rules.' Another quickly returned to the track under a 6lb penalty after notable success last weekend is Richard Spencer's Two Tribes, who has convinced his handler to try six furlongs once again after landing the International Handicap over seven at Ascot. 'He's not got a bad draw, drawn high (25), and he's fresh and well after his win last week,' said Spencer. 'He's run well over six furlongs before and this is a very big pot. The penalty last week ensured him a run and he came out of Ascot really well. I know I said we wouldn't go for this race and run over six again, but we're going to throw our hat in the ring on Saturday and hopefully he can run well.' Two Tribes is part of a three-strong hand for the Newmarket trainer, with Spencer also calling upon Run Boy Run and experienced Group performer Twilight Calls. Spencer said: 'Run Boy Run has a high enough draw (19) hopefully and he's going to have a visor on which is something I've been waiting to do on a run over six furlongs not seven. He's got a good each-way chance and with the visor on, there could be some improvement from him. 'Hopefully Twilight Calls gets a good tow into the race and could run well as he did very well in the Wokingham off a higher mark and all three have got sort of chances.'
