There were two surprise victors in the biggest races at day four of Royal Ascot, with 33/1 outsider Cercene the highlight as the three-year-old became the biggest priced winner in the history of the Coronation Stakes.
Jockey Gary Carroll rode to his first Group 1 win ahead of pre-race favourite Zarigana, who finished second by just half a length, having briefly looked like winning after going ahead inside the final furlong.
"It's unbelievable. I've been riding a long time now and I've been placed in plenty of Group 1s but this is my first one,” said Carroll. “Good horses are very hard to come by. To do this at Royal Ascot is magic.”
In the Commonwealth Cup, Time For Sandals was a surprise 25/1 winner, ridden to victory by Richard Kingscote ahead of pre-race favourite Shadow of Light, who finished in fifth.
That result marked a top-level Group One double for trainer Harry Eustace, who won Tuesday's Queen Anne Stakes with Docklands.
"It's the hardest place on earth to get winners, Royal Ascot. The horses arrived in very good shape and they've trained super all year,” said Eustace, who only began training horses in 2021.
"We knew we'd good horses coming in good form, and then you need the racing luck.”
Jockey Kingscote added that he was “delighted to ride Harry [Eustsce] a big winner because he's a gentleman”.
“His yard is such a happy yard, so it's nice to ride a good winner for them. They [Royal Ascot winners] are very difficult to come by and I'm delighted."
Earlier in the day, 7/1 outsider Venetian Sun won the Albany Stakes in Friday’s opening race, while Ethical Diamond won the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.
In the Sandringham Stakes at 5pm, King Charles was hoping for a winner in the form of 8/1 Purple Rainbow, but he was beaten by 18/1 outsider Never Let Go.
