Cercene could be supplemented for Juddmonte Irish Oaks after Royal Ascot feat
Cercene could be supplemented for next month's Juddmonte Irish Oaks following her surprise Coronation Stakes success at Royal Ascot.
Third behind Lake Victoria in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the daughter of Australia took her game to another level on the penultimate day of the Royal meeting, finishing powerfully under Gary Carroll to get the better of French Guineas heroine Zarigana as a 33-1 shot.
While the result was a shock to many, trainer Joe Murphy expected a bold showing.
He said: "If you go back and look at the Irish Guineas, she was the only filly that passed three horses over the last furlong. If they went another furlong, I'm not saying we'd beat the Ballydoyle filly (Lake Victoria), but we could have been second and there's no harm being second best to her.
"I'm delighted with the way she came home, she licked the pot and we're thrilled with her."
With Cercene yet to race beyond a mile, Murphy admits to having doubts about whether her stamina will stand up to the mile and a half of the Irish Oaks, but feels it could be worth rolling the dice.
"We have our Group One in the bag now and she's finished third in a Group One and second in the Athasi Stakes from seven runs, so we're in a very happy place," he added.
"We're thinking of supplementing her for the Irish Oaks. We'll probably make an entry for the Nassau in Goodwood as well, but we have to figure out the timing.
"The Pretty Polly this weekend comes too soon after Ascot. You could go over a mile and a quarter in the Nassau, but you're taking on older fillies, whereas in the Oaks you're only taking on your own age group.
"She has her Group One, so if she doesn't stay I'll take the blame and we'll go back (in trip) and start the engine again."
The Fethard, Co Tipperary-based trainer also has big plans for the second half of the season, with a trip to California in early November very much on the agenda.
Murphy said: "We have have the Matron Stakes (at Leopardstown) and then probably the Breeders' Cup, so that's the programme going along. We're looking forward to the Breeders' Cup as we think she'll handle it - she's very well balanced and tough and honest.
"The dream is more alive than it was before Ascot."
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RTÉ News
11 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Cercene could be supplemented for Juddmonte Irish Oaks after Royal Ascot feat
Cercene could be supplemented for next month's Juddmonte Irish Oaks following her surprise Coronation Stakes success at Royal Ascot. Third behind Lake Victoria in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the daughter of Australia took her game to another level on the penultimate day of the Royal meeting, finishing powerfully under Gary Carroll to get the better of French Guineas heroine Zarigana as a 33-1 shot. While the result was a shock to many, trainer Joe Murphy expected a bold showing. He said: "If you go back and look at the Irish Guineas, she was the only filly that passed three horses over the last furlong. If they went another furlong, I'm not saying we'd beat the Ballydoyle filly (Lake Victoria), but we could have been second and there's no harm being second best to her. "I'm delighted with the way she came home, she licked the pot and we're thrilled with her." With Cercene yet to race beyond a mile, Murphy admits to having doubts about whether her stamina will stand up to the mile and a half of the Irish Oaks, but feels it could be worth rolling the dice. "We have our Group One in the bag now and she's finished third in a Group One and second in the Athasi Stakes from seven runs, so we're in a very happy place," he added. "We're thinking of supplementing her for the Irish Oaks. We'll probably make an entry for the Nassau in Goodwood as well, but we have to figure out the timing. "The Pretty Polly this weekend comes too soon after Ascot. You could go over a mile and a quarter in the Nassau, but you're taking on older fillies, whereas in the Oaks you're only taking on your own age group. "She has her Group One, so if she doesn't stay I'll take the blame and we'll go back (in trip) and start the engine again." The Fethard, Co Tipperary-based trainer also has big plans for the second half of the season, with a trip to California in early November very much on the agenda. Murphy said: "We have have the Matron Stakes (at Leopardstown) and then probably the Breeders' Cup, so that's the programme going along. We're looking forward to the Breeders' Cup as we think she'll handle it - she's very well balanced and tough and honest. "The dream is more alive than it was before Ascot."
RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Training legend D Wayne Lukas retires due to illness
Veteran American trainer D Wayne Lukas has been forced to retire due to ill health. Lukas, 89, has reportedly turned down an aggressive treatment plan having been suffering from an infection and is due to leave hospital and return home to his family. His long-serving assistant, Englishman Sebastian 'Bas' Nicholl will take over the running of his stable. "Wayne is one of the greatest competitors and most important figures in thoroughbred racing history," said Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs said on Churchill Downs' official website. "He transcended the sport of horse racing and took the industry to new levels. The lasting impact of his character and wisdom – from his acute horsemanship to his unmatched attention to detail – will be truly missed. The enormity of this news is immense, and our prayers are with his family and friends around the world during this difficult time." Lukas, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, has won the Kentucky Derby four times, among his 15 Triple Crown race wins, and has 20 victories at the Breeders' Cup, a record matched only by Aidan O'Brien. Lukas trained his last winner on 12 June at Churchill Downs when Tour Player was successful. His first thoroughbred success came in October 1977. Nicholl, a former tank commander in the British Army, said: "Wayne built a legacy that will never be matched. Every decision I make, every horse I saddle, I'll hear his voice in the back of my mind. This isn't about filling his shoes – no one can – it's about honouring everything that he's built."
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
Joe Murphy team examining Irish Oaks as potential target for Royal Ascot heroine Cercene
The immediate classic focus is on Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby but connections of Ireland's latest Group One star Cercene are looking to an ambitious Oaks attempt at the Curragh next month. The Joe Murphy-trained filly pulled off a hugely popular 33/1 upset in Friday's Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot under jockey Gary Carroll. It was a first top-flight victory for both Carroll and Murphy. Having been training for almost 50 years, Murphy (70) described it as the culmination of a life's work. But having got a taste for elite success, the Cercene camp are after more and haven't ruled their star out of a big hike in trip from a mile to 12 furlongs for the €500,000 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. That would likely mean a clash with Aidan O'Brien's Epsom Oaks winner Minnie Hauk. READ MORE The trainer's son and assistant, Joe Murphy jnr, said at the weekend: 'All three races this year, prior to Ascot, have not really been run to suit her. They were a little bit slow and she got a little bit far back the first day in Leopardstown . 'She had a hold-up between Leopardstown and the Curragh the second day, and then the Guineas was run a little bit slow-paced. We were very confident we were going to be in the first three. She was massively overpriced.' He added: 'This was the plan, this was her first half of the year. I suppose we will have to think about an Irish Oaks. It is a three-year-old-only race and we will have to think about it. The sire (Australia) says she will (stay), the physical specimen probably says she won't. 'She'll race sensibly and she will do things right and we know she will try. I suppose no better place to find out (if she stays).' Cercene was one of 10 Irish-trained winners at Royal Ascot, although she was the sole Group One success. Aidan O'Brien was pipped at the line to be leading trainer again. His five winners were equal to John & Thady Gosden but the partnership had four runner-up finishes compared to O'Brien's three. Ryan Moore was top rider for a 12th time with seven winners. They included Sober for Willie Mullins in Saturday's finale. Sober, ridden by Ryan Moore, on their way to winning the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire Moore is likely to team up with the Epsom Derby winner Lambourn in this weekend's Curragh classic. Lambourn is odds-on to become the 20th colt to pull off the Epsom-Curragh Derby double. Moore rode the last to manage it, Auguste Rodin in 2023, and won last year on Los Angeles. Among those trying to stop him will be Shane Foley, who will try to deliver Jessica Harrington a landmark Derby success on Green Impact. The colt failed to fire in the 2000 Guineas before bouncing back with a Listed victory last time. Foley is confident of his stamina. 'I've always said it. He's such a laid-back character and the way he races gives him every chance. If it's a case that he doesn't stay, which I do think he will, he can always come back to a mile-and-a-quarter. It's definitely worth a try once,' he reported. 'He's not going to be favourite but he's going to be a lively outsider. Things can happen and change closer to the time but we're going there with a fighting chance,' Foley added. Colin Keane was an Irish Derby winner in 2022 on Westover for his new employers, Juddmonte. After a busy week that started with riding in the French Oaks and continued through Royal Ascot, the champion jockey is back local at Ballinrobe on Monday evening for five rides at the Co Mayo track. They include Donna Nook for Juddmonte in a handicap, although some of his outside spins could also make the trip west worthwhile. [ Kevin Prendergast, influential trainer, dies aged 92 Opens in new window ] Positive Energy won on the flat for Willie McCreery last season and then won over hurdles for new trainer Michael O'Callaghan. He has a shot in another handicap while Molto Amichi may strike in a maiden. The 78-rated runner blew the start in his last race at Leopardstown and Keane teams up with him again. The champion is on his father's runner Beauparc in the finale although Heather, a sister to the 2018 Irish Derby winner Latrobe, is bred to relish the stamina test.
