Classy Marmalade spread-eagles rivals

CLASS and style are two of the key components of Royal Ascot and Duke Of Marmalade provided both by the bucketload when turning the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes into a one-horse show yesterday.

Aidan O’Brien and Johnny Murtagh were already the key players at this year’s meeting and took their third Group One of the week as the even-money favourite poured it on down the straight to collect by four lengths.

The mile-and-a-quarter event had hitherto eluded the Ballydoyle team, with even subsequent Arc winner Dylan Thomas having his scalp claimed by Manduro 12 months ago. But the stage this time belonged firmly to the Tipperary outfit, with Murtagh tracking the early pace before starting to pick off the front-runners two furlongs out.