The biggest story in terms of our audience reads from Royal Ascot last week was by far and away the one on the Aussie owned underdog three year-old filly Cercene, who captured the Group I Coronation Stakes.
Trained by Joe Murphy and ridden by Gary Carroll, the daughter of Epsom Derby winner Australia was too good for the Aga Khan Stud bred race favourite Zarigana (Siyouni) with the Aidan O’Brien trained January (Kingman) in third place.
She delivered a fairytale result for Australian owner Shane Stafford and connections have now outlined their plans for the rising star filly going forward.
They will seek to chase Group 1 options at Goodwood, Leopardstown and Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup as the year unfolds, but first will come the Group I Irish Oaks on July 19, although a late entry will have to be paid to put her in the field.
Run over the longer mile and a half trip, the Irish Oaks current favourite is Epsom Oaks winner Minnie Hauk, whose stamina has been proven, but for Cercene it will be a question to answer.
Her sire Australia was an elite stayer by Galileo from champion mare Ouija Board, who won both the Epsom and Irish Oaks among her seven G1 wins. He is also proven as a sire of stayers and this year has produced Epsom Derby winner Lambourn, but on the female side of her pedigree Cercene is more about speed.
Her dam is by speed sire Acclamation and the family is noted for it’s sprinter milers including Group I winning milers Mohaather and Accidental Agent.
What Cercene does have is class and that will carry her a long way in her own age group.
