Cercene taking distance test in Nassau Stakes

Leader Live

3 days ago

The experienced Irish handler has always thought of his star performer as a stayer in the making, but having excelled at a mile has so far been kept to no further than eight furlongs.
However, after Cercene's thrilling victory at the Royal meeting, Murphy now scratches his long-held itch to move up in distance, where he is confident the daughter of Australia can hold her own once more in elite company.
'We were very happy with her since her last run and we'll find out how we get on up in trip, so it will be a learning curve,' said Murphy.
'She's so relaxed, we always thought she would be a mile-and-a-half filly but she proved us wrong by being so good at a mile. We've options we could try over those distances before the season ends, so we're looking forward to running and we're fortunate we have her.
'We have her in the Matron Stakes just in case she doesn't get the trip, but if she does it opens up more options for us and I do think she will stay.
'This is another test and another Group One. She's been third in a Guineas and won at Royal Ascot so she deserves to take her chance and plenty will be revealed by Friday.'
If Cercene is to add a second Group One to her resume, she will have to crack the Ballydoyle duo of Whirl and Bedtime Story who will bid to give Aidan O'Brien a sixth victory in the 10-furlong feature, having also taken home the spoils with Opera Singer 12 months ago.
Bedtime Story showed the ability that made her such an exciting juvenile last term when second in the French Oaks last month.
However, it is Oaks runner-up Whirl who will carry chief Coolmore hopes having downed Andrew Balding's subsequent King George second Kalpana in tremendous fashion to claim the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.
'She's a very straightforward, honest filly, she's so uncomplicated it's not funny,' said O'Brien.
'It was the obvious race for her and it isn't over facing her, it's baby steps her way and that's why she's coming here. We've been very happy with her since the Pretty Polly.'
Balding takes another crack at Whirl, this time with See The Fire, who was thwarted by a neck in this race last year and reverts to competing against her own sex after a fine third behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes.
'She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group Two in easy fashion. And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales's Stakes,' said Balding, ahead of a race that guarantees a spot in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar.
'As a three-year-old we didn't see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes against older colts at York.
'There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.'
John and Thady Gosden's five-time scorer Running Lion completes the line-up, running at this distance for just the second time since her second in last October's Prix de l'Opera.