Royal Ascot: Cercene, Amiloc win group stakes on Friday

Unconsidered 33/1 outsider Cercene caused a shock in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes as she dug deep to repel the challenge of French-trained favourite Zarigana.

In what was a first Group 1 success for both trainer Joseph Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll, Cercene tracked a strong pace before finding generously to win by a half-length. She was 31-1 in the pari-mutuel World Pool. 6-5 favorite Zarigana looked a danger before her run petered out, with January (9-1) a length further back in third.

Third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1) on her penultimate start, Cercene becomes the longest-priced winner of the Coronation Stakes. She is also a second Royal Ascot winner for her dam Tschierschen, who produced 2021 Britannia Stakes scorer Perotto.

Murphy said, “This is 50 years of work by the family, going from a small yard, switching from National Hunt to Flat, and buying horses and believing that they are going to be good. It is a lifetime’s ambition to have a Group 1 winner. 

“Cercene is by Australia, a sire I love, and her half-brother won the Britannia, so the pedigree was there. If she was an inch bigger, I wouldn’t have her.

“Cercene travelled well and Gary gave her a great ride. We were thinking that being by Australia that she would stay well. She was headed and came back again. She waited for something to head her, but she is very tough and a dream to train.

“When you look back at the (Irish) Guineas, in the last furlong, she passed three horses. I remember her very first run in Gowran, she was last then she flew turning in and was third – another 20 yards and she would have won.

“I have been training for 50 years. Fifty years waiting for a Group 1 winner, but we have been second and third in Group 1s. So we’ve been knocking on the door, but didn’t open it. Today, we opened it.”

Carroll said, “This is unbelievable. I have been riding a long time now and been placed in plenty of Group 1 races. This is my first one and, if I was ever to ride a Group 1 winner, I wanted it to be for Joe Murphy. I have been riding for him since I was a 7lb claimer and he has been very good to me. I am delighted I can repay him.

“Cercene ran a blinder at the Curragh, where the slow pace didn’t suit. We went a bit better gallop there today. She got to the front a furlong and a half out and she waited. Then the French horse came and headed me. To be fair to this one, she is not big, but she is very tough and stuck her head out for me. 

“This is hugely satisfying. Group 1 races are so hard to come by, and good horses are very hard to come by. To do this at Royal Ascot is magic.”

Zarigana’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said, “I need to buy a pair of blinkers, probably! It was very interesting what the jockey said. He said she travelled really nicely, like easily on the bridle, but as soon as she hit the front, she completely changed in her attitude and threw her head up. It is very frustrating, but we try our best with her. She is a very talented filly and didn’t disgrace herself.

“You always think you can win easily, and she has the ability to win easily, but we didn’t get the job done today. I am lucky she is owned by a fantastic breeding operation – and she has earned her place there. We don’t need to put a pair of yellow blinkers on her. She will produce fantastic stock that will come here and beat everybody. It is very hard to be competitive here, and to win is even harder. You come with very talented horses, but today I think we can’t complain. We have had two fillies placed in Group 1 races and they earned their places at stud, so for the operation it is very positive.”

Princess Zahra Aga Khan said: “Zarigana has already earned her place at stud. She is a lot like her grandmother (Zarkava) – slightly nuts! The important thing is that both fillies today have come home safe and well – that is what really matters. They are two very important fillies.”

Aidan O’Brien said of January: “She ran OK. The race was little bit messy early, but Ryan said she ran well. We think she will come forward a little bit. Maybe one of the fillies’ races at Newmarket next, something like that.”

Amiloc extends undefeated record through fifth start in King Edward VII

Amiloc took his record to a perfect five from five for Ralph Beckett after repelling Irish raider Zahrann in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes.  

A dominant four-length winner of the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood last month, the son of Postponed was unable to contest the Derby due to his gelded status. Off of that form he was bet down to 4-5 favoritism in the pari-mutuel World Pool.

Ridden handily by Rossa Ryan, Amiloc mastered front-runner Galveston passing the two-furlong pole and kept on well to deny the closing Zahrann (5-2) by three-quarters of a length. Galveston (19-1) held on to third, just over two lengths further back.

Beckett said, “Rossa reported the ground is quick, and it felt quick on him. You could see Amiloc’s stride shortening. I thought the last half-furlong, he wasn’t looking for the line, he was feeling the ground more than anything else. I think we will bear that in mind in future, but he is a gelding. We had conversations last night and this morning about whether we should come. Patrick Cooper, Mr. Aykroyd’s nephew and Mrs. Aykroyd’s racing manager, decided this was a good idea and I agreed, so it all worked out.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had one with five straight wins, so that’s good. It was a great ride. Rossa is very confident and rode him with plenty of confidence; it set up well for us but sometimes it does.

“I think ground will dictate (where we go). I wouldn’t be afraid to take anybody on with him on slower ground. He is entered in everything, although it is going to take a bit of getting over today by the look of him. If it came up soft next month for the King George, or with a bit of juice, I am sure we would be here.”

Ryan said, “Amiloc was never really comfortable on that sort of ground, and that was the only concern I had. He seemed to move okay to post but, when we came out of Swinley Bottom, I was just feeling it a small bit. I thought he was getting a bit idle in front but he wasn’t, the ground was taking its toll. I thought by God, he is one tough cookie.

“We have gone a nice gallop and didn’t hang around. I had a slight concern turning in because I was feeling the ground. When I sat into him, he changed leads, came alive and I thought perfect, I’ll get to Ryan at the two and then Ben (Coen) is going to have to battle to go by me. It worked out beautifully.

“I would imagine when he gets on slower ground, he will be a better horse again. It is exciting. It is a pity he is gelded, but he is a lovely horse for absolutely brilliant owners. It is brilliant for all the team at home. They have done a fantastic job and deserve all the credit.”

Johnny Murtagh said of the runner-up, “Zahrann lost nothing in defeat. Ben just said they quickened up from four out and just had him off the bridle a little bit earlier than ideal. I am not saying he wants soft ground, but a little bit more juice in it would help him travel a bit longer.

“Finishing second here is definitely more frustrating as a trainer than as a jockey! It is more nerve-wracking beforehand, and it is gutting – you know how hard it is to win here. You see all the people here with their best horses, and we thought we had one, and we still do, but he just wasn’t good enough today. 

“I will speak to the team. He had a hard race today and he has been progressive quickly, so maybe he’ll have a quiet couple of weeks. You would love to think he might be an Arc horse one day, and the connections would love that race. He has a bit to go to get there, but he might. 

“I was really privileged to ride in these colours and you forget what a privilege it is until you go last week and see the Derby, which is the greatest race in the world and was run in honour of His Highness the Aga Khan. For me to deliver now, we have to find the winners on the big days.”