Murphy's Royal Ascot win ends a 50-year quest
Cercene secures Tipperary trainer his first Group One with brilliant Coronation Stakes success
Friday, 20 June 2025
There were few more popular winners at Royal Ascot that Tipperary trainer Joseph Murphy (Racing Post Photos)
This is 50 years of work by the family. It is a lifetime’s ambition to have a Group One winner. - Joseph Murphy on his Royal Ascot success
Joseph Murphy is a living breathing example of that old phrase about good things coming to those who wait, writes James Toney.
He's been sending out winners from his base in Fethard, County Tipperary for nearly five decades but choose Royal Ascot on a frazzled Friday as the place to score his first Group One success.
Cercene, third in the Irish 1000 Guineas, arrived in Berkshire a 33-1 outsider but left a champion, digging deep to repel the challenge of French-trained favourite Zarigana in the Coronation Stakes.
Murphy is a popular figure in the parade ring, with Aidan O'Brien among the first to make his way through a happy throng of connections to give his congratulations.
And it was a special moment for jockey Gary Carroll too, his third Royal Ascot success but the first Group One victory of his career too.
“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 One winner," said Murphy.
“I have been training for 50 years. Fifty years waiting for a Group One winner, but we have been second and third in Group Ones. 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 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."
Carroll, who appeared almost shell-shocked, also struggled to comprehend the enormity of his achievement in a story that proves Royal Ascot doesn't just have to be about the big names from the big operations.
“This is unbelievable," he said. "I have been riding a long time now and been placed in plenty of Group One races. This is my first one and, if I was ever to ride a Group One 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.
“This is hugely satisfying. Group One races are so hard to come by, and good horses are very hard to come by. To do this at Royal Ascot is magic.
“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."
Willie Mullins is no stranger to big race success and became the second jumps trainer to enjoy flat success this week following Henry de Bromhead's victory on Tuesday.
Ethical Diamond finished dead flat last when well fancied in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes last year but Ryan Moore doesn't tend to get things wrong twice.
And it's a win that has Mullins dreaming of Flemington in November and another crack at the Melbourne Cup, a prize he has long dreamed of scooping.
“We’d love to go to Melbourne. If we can get him qualified, that would be wonderful," he said.
“After last year in this race, the disaster that was last year, I gave Ryan a year to put it right. We’ll give him a little break and look at York - that’s normally where we go from here. The Ebor would look possible."
Mullins big hope for the week was a runner in the colours of The King on Tuesday and while that didn't perform, he was still invited to ride in the carriage procession, a now 200-year old pre-race tradition.
"Jackie and I were saying coming in here today to just enjoy it, and to have a winner on top is just the cherry on the cake, isn’t it?," he added. “These are just fantastic days [being part of the Royal Procession and Jackie presenting the prize in the first race]."
In the trainer standings O'Brien carries the narrowest possible lead into the final day, ahead of John and Thady Gosden on placings while Ryan Moore should have the top jockey prize wrapped, although Irish jockey Oisin Murphy is clear of rivals in second after his fourth win of the week.
He's been sending out winners from his base in Fethard, County Tipperary for nearly five decades but choose Royal Ascot on a frazzled Friday as the place to score his first Group One success.
Cercene, third in the Irish 1000 Guineas, arrived in Berkshire a 33-1 outsider but left a champion, digging deep to repel the challenge of French-trained favourite Zarigana in the Coronation Stakes.
Murphy is a popular figure in the parade ring, with Aidan O'Brien among the first to make his way through a happy throng of connections to give his congratulations.
And it was a special moment for jockey Gary Carroll too, his third Royal Ascot success but the first Group One victory of his career too.
“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 One winner," said Murphy.
“I have been training for 50 years. Fifty years waiting for a Group One winner, but we have been second and third in Group Ones. 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 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."
Sire: Australia 🇦🇺 ✅
— HRI Ownership (@HRIOwners) June 20, 2025
Owner: Australian 🇦🇺 ✅
CERCENE made it a day to remember for Australian based owner Shane Stafford 🤩
Emmet McNamara caught up with Shane, Joseph Murphy & John Fleming to get the winning reaction 🙌#OwnTheMoment pic.twitter.com/AKE3YECBLk
Carroll, who appeared almost shell-shocked, also struggled to comprehend the enormity of his achievement in a story that proves Royal Ascot doesn't just have to be about the big names from the big operations.
“This is unbelievable," he said. "I have been riding a long time now and been placed in plenty of Group One races. This is my first one and, if I was ever to ride a Group One 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.
“This is hugely satisfying. Group One races are so hard to come by, and good horses are very hard to come by. To do this at Royal Ascot is magic.
“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."
It was inevitable 🙌
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) June 20, 2025
Willie Mullins reflects on winning The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes with Ethical Diamond 💎#RoyalAscot #Ascot #AscotRaces pic.twitter.com/wc5bwst4FJ
Willie Mullins is no stranger to big race success and became the second jumps trainer to enjoy flat success this week following Henry de Bromhead's victory on Tuesday.
Ethical Diamond finished dead flat last when well fancied in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes last year but Ryan Moore doesn't tend to get things wrong twice.
And it's a win that has Mullins dreaming of Flemington in November and another crack at the Melbourne Cup, a prize he has long dreamed of scooping.
“We’d love to go to Melbourne. If we can get him qualified, that would be wonderful," he said.
“After last year in this race, the disaster that was last year, I gave Ryan a year to put it right. We’ll give him a little break and look at York - that’s normally where we go from here. The Ebor would look possible."
Mullins big hope for the week was a runner in the colours of The King on Tuesday and while that didn't perform, he was still invited to ride in the carriage procession, a now 200-year old pre-race tradition.
"Jackie and I were saying coming in here today to just enjoy it, and to have a winner on top is just the cherry on the cake, isn’t it?," he added. “These are just fantastic days [being part of the Royal Procession and Jackie presenting the prize in the first race]."
In the trainer standings O'Brien carries the narrowest possible lead into the final day, ahead of John and Thady Gosden on placings while Ryan Moore should have the top jockey prize wrapped, although Irish jockey Oisin Murphy is clear of rivals in second after his fourth win of the week.
One day more and this is close.#RoyalAscot #GreenTeam pic.twitter.com/LRJST3otxf
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) June 20, 2025