Favourable Classic draw for O’Brien pair

AN ENCOURAGING draw for Aidan O’Brien’s Duke of Marmalade saw the five-time Group One winner shortened in the market for Saturday night’s $5 million (€3.82m) Breeders’ Cup Classic.

A dreaded wide berth was avoided last night by both Duke of Marmalade and Ballydoyle stablemate Henrythenavigator, the latter handed the five spot, the former the fourth place in the Post Position draw for the 12-horse field.

That moved William Hills to cut Duke of Marmalade, the four-year-old son of Danehill, from 8/1 to 7/1.