by Myra Lewyn

Duke of Marmalade made amends for a disappointing season in 2007 when he scored his breakthrough stakes victory at the highest level on Sunday at Longchamp in the $467,8000 Prix Ganay (Fr-G1).

The four-year-old Danehill colt was winless in six starts for trainer Aidan O’Brien last year, although he looked a consistent competitor when placing three times in Group 1 races, including a second to stablemate Dylan Thomas (Ire) in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champions Stakes (Ire-G1) and a third to Ramonti the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-G1) to cap the season.

Under Johnny Murtagh, Duke of Marmalade tracked early leader Spirit One before launching a determined bid two furlongs out. German Group 1 winner Saddex closed gamely in the final furlong but could not match the energy of the winner, who dug in for a half-length win.
 
Owned by John Magnier and Michael Tabor, Duke of Marmalade covered the 2,100-meters (10.44-furlongs) in 2:08.30 on turf rated as soft. The Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) on May 25 at the Curragh is under consideration for the bay colt, who is out of Remote Romance, by Irish River (Fr).

Myra Lewyn is daily news editor of Thoroughbred Times