'She's Not Very Big, But She's Very Tough': Carroll Heaps Praise on Cercene After Coronation Shock

Last seen running third behind the absent Lake Victoria in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, Shane Stafford's €50,000 Tattersalls Ireland yearling Cercene (Australia) stepped forward in ultra-game fashion to become the longest-priced winner of Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation Stakes.

The 33-1 outsider went forward to track the leaders in fourth after the opening exchanges, as TDN Rising Star Falakeyah (New Bay) raced too freely on the front end, and inched closer once into the home straight. Gaining an edge approaching the furlong pole, she was immediately tackled and headed by 6-4 favourite Zarigana (Siyouni), but found plenty under a drive and rallied bravely in the dying embers to eke out a career high, by a half-length, from that rival. Ballydoyle's January (Kingman) was initially stationed in rear and kept on strongly in the straight to finish one length adrift in third. “She's not big, but she's very tough,” commented winning jockey Gary Carroll.

Trainer Joseph Murphy, celebrating his first success at the highest level, commented, “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. 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. 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, 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.”

Carroll, who joins Murphy in the ranks of Group 1 winners, added, “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 seven-pound 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, but we went a better gallop today. She got to the front a furlong-and-a-half out and she waited. Then the French horse came and headed me, 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.”

TDN Rising Star Zarigana was called into a battling finish for the fourth start in a row and Francis Graffard was proud of her effort. “I need to buy a pair of blinkers,” he joked. “Mickael [Barzalona] 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. 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 continued, “Zarigana has already earned her place at stud. She is a lot like her grandmother [Zarkava] in that she's slightly nuts! The important thing is that both fillies today have come home safe and well and that is what really matters. They are two very important fillies.”

Aidan O'Brien was satisfied with the display of third over the line January and hinted of future targets. “The race was little bit messy early, but Ryan said she ran well,” the trainer revealed. “We think she will come forward a little bit and maybe one of the fillies' races at Newmarket, or something like that, might be next.”

Pedigree Notes
Cercene, who becomes the seventh Group 1 scorer for her sire and the second this season following the exploits of Lambourn in the G1 Derby, is the fourth of five foals and one of two scorers produced by a winning daughter of Listed Firth Of Clyde Stakes runner-up Tschierschen (Acclamation). The February-foaled chestnut is a half-sister to G3 Sovereign Stakes third Perotto (New Bay) and a 2-year-old filly by Starman. Roo is the dam of five black-type performers, headed by G1 Prix Morny runner-up Gallagher (Bahamian Bounty), and her descendants include G1 Sussex Stakes-winning sire Mohaather (Showcasing), G1 Queen Anne Stakes hero Accidental Agent (Delegator) and multiple Grade II winner Prize Exhibit (Showcasing). Roo is kin to G2 Gimcrack Stakes victor Bannister (Inchinor) and the dam of G1 Middle Park winner Astaire (Intense Focus) out of a half-sister to G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Dead Certain (Absalom).

33/1! CERCENE WINS THE CORONATION STAKES! #ROYALASCOT pic.twitter.com/cba83YNxWV

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2025

Friday, Ascot, Britain
CORONATION STAKES-G1, £725,750, Ascot, 6-20, 3yo, f, 7f 213yT, 1:38.35, g/f.
1–CERCENE (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Tschierschen (Ire), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Roo (GB), by Rudimentary
3rd Dam: Shall We Run (GB), by Hotfoot (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€50,000 Ylg '23 TATIRY). O-Shane R Stafford; B-China Horse Club International Ltd; T-Joseph Murphy; J-Gary Carroll. £411,573. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 7-2-1-3, $644,227. *1/2 to Perotto (GB) (New Bay {GB}), GSP-Eng, $320,523. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zarigana (GB), 128, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Zarkamiya (Fr), by Frankel (GB). TDN Rising Star. O/B-Aga Khan Studs; T-Francis-Henri Graffard. £156,036.
3–January (Ire), 128, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–I Can Fly (GB), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore; T-Aidan O'Brien. £78,091.
Margins: HF, 1, 1 1/4. Odds: 33.00, 1.50, 8.00.
Also Ran: Cathedral (GB), Chantilly Lace (Ire), Exactly (Ire), Kon Tiki (GB), Flight (GB), Falakeyah (GB), Simmering (GB), Duty First (GB).