Marmalade Can Deliver Another Major Win for Jammy O'brien

Duke Of Marmalade, already a significant contributor to his trainer Aidan O'Brien's remarkable haul of 13 Group One wins this season, can tighten Ballydoyle's stranglehold on Europe's top races with victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot today.

The four-year-old's hat-trick at the highest level was completed in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. The manner in which Duke Of Marmalade drew clear to win by four lengths that day suggests he will have no trouble seeing out the extra two furlongs of the King George.

Doubters point to the Duke's pedigree but his sire, Danehill, has sired a Derby winner, North Light, as well as thorough stayers Westerner and Distinction. His regular rider Johnny Murtagh will have no negative thoughts when the gates open today. "Duke Of Marmalade relaxes well during his races and I'd be hopeful that he will get the trip," he said this week.

Tactics will play a major part in the outcome. Red Rock Canyon, employed as pacemaker at Royal Ascot and also when Duke Of Marmalade won at The Curragh, is joined by a third O'Brien runner, Macarthur, a top-class horse in his own right.

It might be in Ballydoyle's interests not to have an end-to-end gallop on Duke Of Marmalade's first attempt at 1½ miles. Whatever the plan, Macarthur played his part in stablemate Soldier Of Fortune winning the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month, in which Youmzain finished second and Papal Bull fourth.

Benefiting from a more truly run race and by sitting closer to the pace, Youmzain took revenge on Soldier Of Fortune in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. That was the Group One win Mick Channon's horse deserved, but it is significant that Soldier Of Fortune was soon dismissed from Ballydoyle's King George plans.

Duke Of Marmalade (4.20) is O'Brien's top middle-distance colt and he can prove it. Youmzain is the stand-out bet for forecast purposes, as after him there is a gulf in class to the remainder. Lucarno has beaten Papal Bull and Petara Bay at Newmarket since finishing sixth at Saint-Cloud and Ask, fifth in the Prince Of Wales's, will be suited by the return to 12 furlongs. But they must improve in order to figure here.