Annus Mirabilis, a Montjeu half-brother to Drakenstein Stud’s resident sire Duke Of Marmalade, registered the biggest win of his career when successful in Monday’s G2 UBET Adelaide Cup at Morphettville.

After being caught wide the trip, Annus Mirabilis (IRE) took control on the home turn and stuck to his guns resolutely to hold the challenges from the Robbie Laing-trained Double Bluff (IRE) (Azamour) and the favourite Master Of Arts (Mastercraftsman).  The winning margin was 1.3 lengths, with third home, Master Of Arts, another 2.3 lengths away.

Trained by Stuart Webb, the gelding may be aimed at the G1 Sydney Cup following his impressive display in Monday’s AUS$400 000 race.

Winning jockey Reagan Bayliss (fresh off winning the G1 Newmarket Handicap), said of the win, “He is a super stayer and has a great set of lungs. I knew the distance would not be an issue. I won the Bagot on him and he turned his form around from last start when he had no luck.”

The 2017 Adelaide Cup winner has now five wins to his credit and earnings of over AUS$423 000.
Annus Mirabilis is the third group winner for the G3 placed Kingmambo mare Love Me True, whose son Belgravia holds an entry in the 2017 G1 Investec Derby.

Not only is Love Me True dam of five time G1 winner and Cartier Champion Duke Of Marmalade but she is also dam of 2013 G1 Investec Derby winner Ruler Of The World, who is now standing at Coolmore.

Duke Of Marmalade has has a single first South African born yearling on offer at Thursday’s Cape Yearling Sale –a filly (bred on a similar cross to the Duke’s star daughters Simple Verse and Venus De Milo) out of a Fort Wood own sister to a stakes horse, from the family of flying filly, Wild Wolverine (Lot 80).

Duke Of Marmalade, sire of over 50 black type performers, also has two yearlings on the March Yearling Sale next weekend –a colt out of a four time winning Jet Master mare (Lot 10) and a filly whose dam is a Trippi half-sister to G3 winner State Blue (Lot 184).