Royal Ascot is 'heaven on earth' for shock winner Cercene's trainer

Cercene was at 33/1 the longest price winner ever in the Coronation Stakes, she showed real grit under Gary Carroll to battle back to overcome French favourite Zarigana

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Cercene and Time for Sandals brought smiles to the faces of bookmakers on the fourth day of Royal Ascot on Friday springing huge shocks in the two Group One races.

Cercene was at 33/1 the longest price winner ever in the Coronation Stakes, she showed real grit under Gary Carroll to battle back to overcome French favourite Zarigana.

For Carroll and trainer Joe Murphy, who had only had one previous runner at the meeting, it was easily their most prestigious winner and comes on arguably the biggest stage.

“This is 50 years of work, that’s what it is, of love and care, and all for the owners we have, all our people, it's just a whole group of people together,” said Murphy, who has been training since 1977.

“This is heaven on Earth.”

For Carroll it was his third Royal Ascot winner but first ever Group One winner anywhere and due reward for flying back after riding in Ireland on Thursday.

“Hugely good horses are very hard to come by and sometimes only one comes along in a lifetime and I guess mine has,” he said.