Tag Archive for: Joe Murphy

Murphy monitoring Goodwood going for Nassau hope Cercene

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Ground conditions are likely to dictate whether Cercene will take on the likes of See The Fire and Whirl in what looks a quality renewal of the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday.

Just seven fillies remain in contention for the 10-furlong Group One following the confirmation stage, with Aidan O’Brien’s Oaks runner-up and Pretty Polly Stakes winner Whirl the 6-4 favourite with Coral.

The Andrew Balding-trained See The Fire is next in the betting at 7-4, having finished third against the boys in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, where Joe Murphy’s Cercene ran out a surprise winner of the Coronation Stakes over a mile.

With connections of the latter subsequently deciding against stepping up to a mile and a half for the Irish Oaks, she is set to run over the intermediate distance on the Sussex Downs, with Coral making her an 8-1 shot, but Murphy is keeping an eye on underfoot conditions.

“The plan is to go for the Nassau, ground permitting – we don’t want any rain,” he said on Friday.

“We’re very happy with the filly, but if there’s any soft in the ground I couldn’t see her going. Good/good to firm would suit us perfect.

“We thought going the mile and a quarter would be better for future reference, rather than going straight to a mile and a half (in the Irish Oaks). We’ve no problems with a mile and a half as she’s a very relaxed filly, but she travels well.”

On handling the undulations of Goodwood, Murphy added: “She’s a very well balanced filly and we don’t envisage any problems with it, but you don’t know until you try.

“There’s only one Nassau, it’s a good race and they’re the races you want to win.”

Whirl is one of two potential runners for O’Brien along with French Oaks runner-up Bedtime Story, with Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel, John and Thady Gosden’s Running Lion and Gavin Hernon’s potential French raider Dare To Dream the other hopefuls.

Nassau now looks set to be next for Cercene

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Joe Murphy is now favouring heading to Goodwood with his Coronation Stakes winner Cercene over the Irish Oaks.

In the immediate aftermath of the popular success at Royal Ascot, connections raised the possibility of supplementing the diminutive filly for the Curragh Classic.

However, Murphy’s enthusiasm to step up half a mile in trip appears to have cooled and the Visit Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood looks favourite, followed by the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Festival.

“She came out of Ascot very well and we are very happy with her,” said Murphy, whose filly was a 33-1 winner at the showpiece meeting.

“We were thinking of going to the Juddmonte Irish Oaks with her, but we might be leaning towards the Nassau now and then from there we would definitely be looking to go on to the Matron Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival.

“The reaction to her winning the Coronation was unbelievable. I got over a thousand texts. I think people got a great kick out of it. As I said before, it was liking winning an All-Ireland medal. I waited 50 years to get the first Group One but the thing is, when you’ve gotten one, you want two, isn’t that it?

“Cercene is continuing to improve it seems, which is what you like to see, so we’ll look forward to what is to come.”

Irish Oaks bid on the cards for surprise Coronation winner Cercene

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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.

Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate with the Coronation Stakes trophy
Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate with the Coronation Stakes trophy (David Davies/PA)

“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-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.”