IN A finish to rival any in the long history of the race, Duke of Marmalade proved himself a titan of the track with a narrow and battling victory over Papal Bull in yesterday's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Aidan O'Brien's four-year-old had already proved himself a star with three Group 1 wins this season, including the Prince of Wales's Stakes over two furlongs shorter on the same track during the Royal meeting. Some had thought the mile-and-a-half wo
uld be beyond him, but it was in the final yards of the 12th furlong of yesterday's £750,000 midsummer championship all-aged race that Duke of Marmalade became a superstar, the kind of generational horse that people will talk about for years.
Racing will always remember trainer David Nicholson as its human 'Duke', but from now on when people talk of 'the Duke' in equine terms, they will mean only one animal – he really is that good.
Jockey Johnny Murtagh had given the Duke a well-nigh perfect ride, positioning him perfectly to strike as they turned into the home straight. Stablemate Red Rock Canyon had done the pacemaking job well, but it looked as though last year's St Leger winner Lucarno was best placed to benefit.
His run petered out disappointingly, as did that of Duke of Marmalade's other stablemate Macarthur. As Murtagh cruised the Duke down the outer, it seemed as though only Sir Michael Stoute's pair Ask and Papal Bull could peg back the Ballydoyle horse.
Ask seemed to wilt as Duke of Marmalade went whooshing by him to take the lead with a terrific burst of speed at the two furlong pole. The race seemed over, but Olivier Peslier had different ideas aboard Papal Bull.
The five-year-old is a proven Group 2 winner, but had always hinted that he was a late developer who would take a race in the top bracket. Yesterday looked to be his day as Peslier brought the 14-1 chance swooping with an unheralded burst of speed to go a half-length up on the Duke inside the final furlong.
It seemed as if all the talk beforehand about Duke of Marmalade's possibly suspect stamina might be true. He had won over 1m 3f in May, but now he was being bested at a distance he had never competitively gone before. Papal Bull was even leaning on him slightly.
Yet the greatest of sporting champions have the ability to transcend such considerations. With Murtagh playing his driving role to perfection, the Duke dragged something – mettle, character, the sheer will to win – from deep inside himself and slowly made up the inches.
The duellists' hooves flashed in unison in the sun and their sinews visibly strained as each tried to outdo the other, the contest becoming a few seconds of truly awe-inspiring action. Papal Bull never lost his speed as he fought to hang on, but the Duke forced his own head lower and lengthened every stride.
Fifty yards out he was beaten, 30 yards out he was still behind, but inside the last 20 yards, Duke of Marmalade prevailed as mighty champions must. At the line, Ireland's hero – make that everybody's hero, for he was a well-backed 4-6 favourite – had forged ahead by half a length to win in a time that was the third-fastest ever in the King George.
Mick Channon's Youmzain, second in the race last year, was a trifle unlucky in running and came through to finish third, though he would never have caught the principals.
It was a thrilling, wonderful race, one of the best contests seen in British racing for many a year, made so by a superb performance from Stoute, Peslier and Papal Bull who were beaten only by the genius of O'Brien, the brilliance of Murtagh and the class and courage of a magnificent Duke.
Detractors will say there were none of the three-year-old champions in the field, but on yesterday's showing nothing on four legs bar a cheetah would have beaten the Duke. And cheetahs can't go 12 furlongs...
Afterwards, the self-effacing O'Brien, notching his 14th Group 1 win of the season, paid tribute to Murtagh for "a marvellous ride."
The jockey himself paid tribute to both finishers: "I was going so easily I was surprised to see another horse come with me. But mine has all the qualities to be great horse. He's a great battler and has a great will to win."
Earlier, Scottish trainer Jim Goldie just missed out on the biggest prize of his career when his Dhaular Dhar, well ridden by Danny Tudhope, went down by just over a length to Scots-born trainer Mark Johnston's Laa Rayb in the totesport International handicap which had a first prize of £93,000.
The full article contains 816 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
