No Breeders' Cup Bid For Cercene, As 2026 Campaign Beckons

Group 1 winner Cercene will not contest the Breeders' Cup meeting at Del Mar next month and will instead be prepared for her four-year-old season, according to trainer Joe Murphy. She was under consideration for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

The daughter of Australia won the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Second in the G3 Athasi Stakes in early May, she ran third in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas prior to her Royal Ascot heroics. Runner-up to Whirl (Wootton Bassett) in the G1 Nassau Stakes, Cercene was most recently fifth in the G1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 13.

Murphy said, “She's changed in her coat very quickly over the last week, so we're not going to run her at the Breeders' Cup and that's her done for the year now.

“She will stay in training next year and I think races like the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Pretty Polly Stakes will be on the agenda.”