DUKE of Marmalade, the champion older horse in Europe in 2008, has been acquired by Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud near Franschoek in the Western Cape.  The 10-year-old son of Danehill previously stood at Coolmore Stud in Ireland.

“I am absolutely delighted that a horse of the quality and calibre of Duke of Marmalade is coming to Drakenstein to stand alongside Trippi, Horse Chestnut, Philanthropist and What a Winter,” said Rupert in a Racing Post interview.

“We went to see the horse last week at Coolmore Stud and we loved him. He started quarantine yesterday and he will ship to Cape Town next month ready for the next southern hemisphere covering season.

“Given what his progeny have achieved on the track already and that he has 234 2-year-olds to race this season, I believe he is an outstanding addition to both the Drakenstein Stud stallion roster and the South African stallion ranks.”

Duke of Marmalade  a five time Group 1 winner, was last year’s leading European Second Crop sire of stakes winners outperforming the likes of New Approach, Henrythenavigator and Raven’s Pass.

Duke of Marmalade is currently the leading 3rd crop sire in the Northern Hemisphere by stakes winners (12) and horses (9) (TDN Leading sires). He has sired 97 winners from three crops of racing age, including 14 stakes winners, for total progeny earnings of $4,039,718.

His best performer is the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly Venus de Milo, who won last year’s Gr3 Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Give Thanks Stakes and was second in the Gr1 Darley Irish Oaks  and Gr1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

Duke of Marmalade is a half brother to the 2013 Gr1 Investec Epsom Derby winner Ruler Of The World and hails from the families of top sires A.P. Indy and Lemon Drop Kid.