Drakenstein Stud’s own resident Cartier Champion Duke Of Marmalade has a son nominated for a prestigious Cartier Award.
His tough as teak son Big Orange, a game winner of the 2017 G1 Gold Cup, is one of four horses nominated for the Cartier Award of Stayer Of The Year.

Trained by Michael Bell, Big Orange not only defeated subsequent nine length G1 Irish St Leger winner Order Of St George when victorious in the Gold Cup, but also won the G3 Matchbook VIP Henry II Stakes by five lengths in 2017.

Big Orange, who pushed his earnings to over £1 000 000, also finished a very game second this year in the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup. (Big Orange had previously won the Goodwood Cup the last two years running).

To date, the gelding has won nine times, with his wins including six group races.

Should Big Orange win the Cartier Award, he will become the second offspring of Duke Of Marmalade to land one of these prestigious awards, with Duke Of Marmalade’s daughter Simple Verse named a Cartier Champion in 2015.

The equine Cartier awards are decided by points earned by horses in Pattern races (30 percent), opinions of a panel made up of racing journalists and handicappers (30 percent), and votes from readers of the Racing Post, The Daily Telegraph and ITV Racing viewers (35 percent).

Duke Of Marmalade, whose other notable performers in 2017 include the group and graded winners Marmelo and Can’thelpbelieving, will be represented by three members of his first South African crop of 2yos on offer at this week’s CTS Ready To Run Sale.