Classy Marmalade spread-eagles rivals
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.
The Prix Ganay and Tattersalls Gold Cup winner devoured the ground to lead over a furlong out and readily put daylight between himself and his rivals to become the first Irish-trained winner since Stanerra in 1983.
Phoenix Tower, bidding to become Henry Cecil’s sixth winner of the race, came in second with Cambridge victor Pipedreamer a short head away in third.
“He’s an unbelievable horse, he’s the real deal,” said O’Brien. “The horse was training very well and coming along in the build up. All the lads that ride him were very happy and you have to listen to what Johnny says when he makes a statement about a horse.
“When it doesn’t work out that is usually down to circumstance and he was very bullish about today.”
Duke Of Marmalade’s three Group One wins this term are in stark contrast to 2007 when he failed to win but made in the frame in several top-class events, including when beaten a neck here in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
“He got a fracture in a leg after running at Goodwood as two-year-old. We had to pin his leg and it was touch and go if we would get him back,” O’Brien explained.
“He was semi-lame all the time and we had to train him cautiously last year. He was carrying more puppy fat than you would want and was never really 100%.
“Our vet John Halley tweaked the pin and it has made a big difference. He has been much sounder and easier to get fit and has been quickening better in his work.
“He has a lot of options open to him and he’s travelling and quickening very well this year.
“We’ll have to sit down and talk about where to go, and everything will depend on where Henrythenavigator goes next.
“This fellow could stay at a mile and a quarter and go to the Eclipse, drop back to a mile for the Sussex or go up to a mile and a half for the King George.”
Eclipse sponsors Coral make the four-year-old a 4-1 chance from 8s for their race, while Boylesports introduced him at 6-1 for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
