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With the first two-year-old Group One of the European season just over a month away, it's the time of the year when some of the best juveniles start to make an appearance and Danehill's Champion son Duke Of Marmalade looks to have produced a top prospect in the shape of Monday's Irish winner Count Of Limonade.
The Aidan O'Brien trained colt, a €140,000 yearling purchase by Demi O'Byrne at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale last September, is a three-parts brother to Gr1 Coronation Stakes and Gr1 Matron Stakes heroine Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer).
Ridden by Joseph O'Brien, the handsome colt made all to ease to a comfortable three and a quarter length success in the 1400m maiden.
The further he went the better he looked and on the evidence of this stylish effort he looks destined for better things.
"He kept it uncomplicated and he was genuine. He will be better on nicer ground and it is very soft out there," commented jockey O'Brien.
"I think that is one of Duke's first winners and we have a few nice ones at home. He was very green in front but it was his first time on a track like that.'
A five-time G1 winner, Duke Of Marmalade (pictured) has had just a handful of runners from his first European crop to date and he has shaped as a young sire of enormous promise.
His first Australasian bred yearlings found favour with a number of the leading purchasers at this years yearling sales, realising prices of $425,000, $300,000, $300,000 etc.
As a result, his first two-year-olds are set to be trained by the likes of leading trainers Peter Moody, Gerald Ryan, Mark Kavanagh, Bart Cummings, Guy Walter, John Hawkes, Tim Martin and many more.
Duke Of Marmalade will stand the 2012 season at Coolmore Australia at a fee of $22,000 incl. GST.
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