Cercene
Swelter was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Ballylinch Stud Priory Belle Stakes at Leopardstown last Sunday, but Cercene ran a fine race to take third place behind her. Settled back in the field early on by Gary Carroll, she travelled well into the home straight, but her rider had to wait for a few strides and angle out wide in order to secure a clear run. Still only 10th or 11th on the run to the furlong marker, she stayed on really strongly down the outside to take third place on the line, less than two lengths behind the winner. She was fastest of all through the final two furlongs of the race, 0.25secs faster than her fastest rival through the final furlong.
It was a fine run by Joe Murphy's filly on her seasonal debut. An impressive winner of her maiden over seven furlongs at Naas in September, she was sent off as joint third favourite for the Group 3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes at The Curragh in October on the back of that run, but she couldn't get competitive on the soft ground there. She probably appreciated the return to better ground at Leopardstown. She is out of an Acclamation mare who won over five furlongs, but she is by Australia and she is a half-sister to Perotto, whose best form is over a mile. She stays seven furlongs well, and she races like she could improve for the step back up to a mile. Connections thought enough of her to give her an entry in the Irish 1000 Guineas, and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.
Leopardstown, 30th March 2025
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