There was no doubting Joe Murphy's popularity after the 70-year-old from Tipperary realized his lifetime ambition thanks to Cercene's tenacious success in the June 20 Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.
By his own reckoning, Murphy has been training horses for half a century, but he waited for the biggest stage of all before hitting the group 1 heights for the first time.
Anyone with an Irish accent wanted to shake the trainer's hand in the winner's enclosure, which said more than any words could about his status among his peers.
"I suppose this is 50 years of work," Murphy said in a diminutive voice that matched his stature. "Along with my wife and family we've grown it from a small yard, switching from National Hunt to flat, and we've always believed in the horses we've bought.
"This is mecca day for us and our lifetime ambition to have a group 1 winner."
Cercene, off at 33-1, might be of a similar build to her trainer, but what she lacks in size she certainly makes up for in determination and, when eventual runner-up Zarigana started to stargaze after hitting the front, Cercene roared back along her inner to win by half a length from the 6-4 favorite.
"If she was an inch bigger I wouldn't have her," Murphy said, alluding to the fact most horses by a dual Derby winner like Australia would be out of his price range. "But size doesn't matter and Gary Carroll gave her a great ride. He said she was headed but came back again. She's very tough and very resilient. She's a dream to train."
Murphy's yard is built around the foundations of his family and arguably the proudest person in the winner's enclosure was the trainer's son Joseph.
"He's given a lifetime to it so he deserves this reward," Joe Jr. said "He's been training for 50 years and this is his first group 1. He's had a couple placed in group 1s and classics, so to win one is fantastic. He's a grafter and today is the culmination of a lifetime's work. I'm proud of my dad and I'm proud of the filly. There's a lot of us involved and it's a big team effort."
While she might have been sent off a 33-1 outsider, Cercene represented the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) form and those closest to her could see a big run coming.
"We've always believed in her and, if you watch the Irish One Thousand Guineas back, she's the only horse who passed three horses in the last furlong," said the winning trainer, scoring at Ascot for the first time with only his second runner at the meeting. "I'd have been very happy with a place, but a win is a bonus.
"We try to bring all our owners up to the top table at some stage in their lives—that's our main aim. I only have one rule when I buy a horse and that is, 'I don't buy the horse, the horse buys me.'"
It was also a red-letter day for 35-year-old Carroll, who matched the winning trainer by riding his first winner at the highest level.
"I'm delighted this is the year to get a group 1, but I'm more delighted for Joe," Carroll said. "I've been riding for him since I was a 7-pound claimer and he said only last week I was part of the family. It's unbelievable.
"Last time at the Curragh I didn't think we got rolling early enough, but today was a stronger pace and I got a lovely, smooth run the whole way. When I hit the front she waited a little bit and I got headed, but she's got a huge heart, battled back and stuck her head out for me.
"A group 1 is something I've been striving to achieve all my life. I started riding in 2007 and have hit the crossbar plenty of times, but to finally win one is a marvelous feeling."
Victory is likely to come at a considerable cost for Carroll, who in the closing stages appeared to exceed the number of times a rider is permitted to use the whip in Britain.
Compared to if it had occurred in a lesser race, using his whip more than six times in a group 1 worth £725,750 will mean a more stringent fine and ban for the rider when the whip review committee convenes next week.
