by Myra Lewyn

Susan Magnier’s resilient Duke of Marmalade tracked the early pace before firing an energetic bid in the final furlong and storming to a convincing victory in the $722,685 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Eng-G1), the feature race on Wednesday at Royal Ascot.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the four-year-old Danehill colt is undefeated in three starts this season, all in Group 1 races, after trouncing 11 challengers in a four-length win under Jonny Murtagh. Duke of Marmalade covered 1 1/2 miles in 2:05.35 on turf rated as good to firm. 

In his previous start, Duke of Marmalade fended off a challenge from Finsceal Beo to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) on May 25 at the Curragh after defeating Saddex in the Prix Ganay Grand Prix du 40th Anniversaire Air Mauritius (Fr-G1) on April 27 at Longchamp in his season debut. 

Duke of Marmalade’s Prince of Wales’s win gave the trainer-jockey team a third Group 1 win at the Royal meeting, following triumphs on opening day Tuesday by Henrythenavigator in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-G1) and Haradasun in the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-G1).

Murtagh settled Duke of Marmalade in fourth as stablemate Red Rock Canyon set the early tempo, followed by Petara Bay and Pressing.

Pressing gained command well over a furlong out, but held it only briefly as Murtagh angled Duke of Marmalade to the center of the course and asked for his run. Duke of Marmalade eagerly responded and drew clear.

Group 3 winner Phoenix Tower raced in midfield and was outpaced when he hung right entering the straight. He uncorked a determined rally under Ted Durcan more than a furlong out and just edged third-place finisher Pipedreamer by a head.

Sixties Icon, winner of the 2006 Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-G1), weakened and finished last in the 12-horse field.

O’Brien was delighted with the victory by Duke of Marmalade, who has blossomed into an elite middle-distance runner despite leg fractures as a two- and three-year-old that compromised his campaigns.

“He’s an unbelievable horse; he’s the real deal,” O’Brien told England’s Press Association.

“He had pins in his legs last year and he had bad fractures in his legs after Goodwood as a two-year-old. Last year, we were never really able to train him as he was semi-lame all the time.”

Sabana Perdida wins Windsor Forest in second attempt

Scuderia Zaro’s Sabana Perdida scored a three-quarter-length win after overtaking 9-to-4 favorite Heaven Sent late in the $269,802 Windsor Forest Stakes (Eng-G2) for fillies and mares.

The five-year-old Cape Cross (Ire) mare, the second wagering choice at 4-to-1, completed one mile in 1:39.73 under Christophe Lemaire.

Sabana Perdida finished third in last year’s edition of the race when she was sent off at 50-to-1 odds with bookmakers. She subsequently won two Group 3 races in as many starts—the Qatar Airways Prix du Pin (Fr-G3) at Longchamp in September to cap off last season and the Totesport Betxtra Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes (Eng-G3) at Lingfield on May 10 in her previous start for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre.

No catching Langs Lash in Queen Mary Stakes

Langs Lash led from start to finish to post a 25-to-1 upset under Alan Munro in the $154,173 Queen Mary Stakes (Eng-G2) for two-year-old fillies.

The Noverre filly, who entered off a runner-up finish to Bahamian Babe in a stakes at York on May 16, managed to keep her neck in front at the finish line as four opponents threatened to overtake her. She finished the five-furlong race in 1:00.87.

Runner-up Shyrl, a maiden making her second start, finished a head in front of third-place finisher Connie Mac, who finished a neck in front of Lucky Leigh, with another head back to Sugar Free. 

Previously unbeaten Danehill Destiny, the 7-to-2 favorite in the 17-horse field, was never a factor and finished last.

Aqlaam makes big step up in Jersey Stakes 

Aqlaam went from maiden winner to Group 3 winner on the fast ground at Ascot when comfortably holding back Il Warrd by two lengths in the $134,901 Jersey Stakes (Eng-G3).

Richard Hills settled the Oasis Dream (GB) colt, sent off at 13-to-2, several lengths behind the pace and rallied him to the lead inside the final furlong. He held back Il Warrd to win the seven-furlong race in 1:26.98.

Calming Influence, the 9-to-2 favorite, finished ninth.

Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times Today editor