Drakenstein Stud’s hugely successful sire Duke Of Marmalade was back in the news this past weekend thanks to a talented daughter landing a prestigious Group race in Australia.
Duke Of Marmalade
Duke Of Marmalade’s latest group winner is Diamond Made, who picked up the first black type win of her career when she won Saturday’s Gr3 TAB Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick.
Ridden by South African jockey Glyn Schofield, Diamond Made was settled towards the back of the field before coming with a late rattle to win the 2000m contest, worth AUS$201 000, by one length over the fancied Alaskan Rose, with Zasorceress back in third place and Gr3 winner Sacred Eye back in fourth. Diamond Made stopped the clock in a time of 128.01 on what was a slow track.
Her trainer Bruce Cross was delighted with the daughter of Duke Of Marmalade, saying, “We might be here next Saturday. Good trainers take two or three days to make their up so we will give it a go. We have had a lot of luck with this filly but up to until today it has been all bad. So it is nice to turn the corner.”
The progressive Diamond Made, who has won or placed in five of her seven starts to date, could now take her place in the Gr1 James Boags Premium Australian Oaks (worth a cool AUS$1 000 000) next weekend.
Past winners of the Adrian Knox include Gr1 winners Royal Descent, Wild Iris, Republic Lass and subsequent outstanding broodmare Circles Of Gold, as well as the mighty mare Leilani and Melbourne Cup winner Light Fingers.
Europe’s Cartier Champion Older Male of 2008, Duke Of Marmalade has now been represented by more than 40 stakes horses, including champion and multiple Gr1 winner Simple Verse, and the classic winners Nutan, Sound Of Freedom and Star Of Seville.
One of over 300 stakes winners by legendary sire Danehill, Duke Of Marmalade’s half brother, Ruler Of The World (whose first foals are born this year) won the 2013 Gr1 Investec Derby while another half brother, Giovanni Canaletto has been placed in three major Derbies thus far.
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