On Friday, Cercene, a 33‑1 outsider, bravely held off some of the best three year old fillies of 2025 in winning the Grade 1 Coronation Stakes. Racing under veteran jockey Gary Carroll, the diminutive filly produced a tenacious turn of foot to outbattle the French favourite Zarigana, forging to a half-length victory in one of the meeting’s biggest surprises.

A Dream Realised for trainer Joe Murphy

What makes Cercene's triumph even more extraordinary is the story of her trainer. Joseph “Joe” Murphy, a small-time handler from Tipperary, Ireland, who secured his first Group 1 win at age 70 with Cercene's victory, nearly fifty years after starting out in racing. Royal Ascot, he said, was “heaven on Earth” 

Partnering with Murphy, Gary Carroll also celebrated his first Grade 1 win, capping a 16-year partnership with Murphy. Carroll praised Cercene's bravery: “She’s very tough, she wanted to win … To do this at Royal Ascot is magic.”

Cercene is by the Derby-winning sire Australia out of Tschierschen, dam of the 2021 Britannia Stakes winner Perotto. She had shown progress this spring, finishing third four lengths behind Lake Victoria in the Irish 1,000 Guineas—a formline that for some reason earned little attention until this week.

At Ascot, Cercene stalked the pace, took it up around the two-furlong marker, was briefly headed by Zarigana, then battled determindley as she rallied again, asserting dominance in the final strides.

From here, the possibilities open wide. Will Joe Murphy step up her to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood? Or take her to race abroad? Whatever comes next, Cercene’s Royal Ascot victory has ensured she’s no longer an underdog, She's a Grade 1 Stakes winning champion filly.