Drakenstein Stud’s Cartier Champion Duke Of Marmalade was responsible for a very impressive two-year-old winner this week when his daughter True To Life made a winning debut at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Trained by Roy Magner, the Robin Bruss bred and owned filly romped home to win by nearly two lengths over 1000m, and she looks a potentially smart sort in the making,

Sent out a 13-1 shot for Tuesday’s maiden juvenile plate for fillies, the beautifully bred True To Life is out of the Medaglia D’Oro sired stakes winner Mina Salaam.

She is the first juvenile winner this season for her five time G1 winning sire Duke Of Marmalade, who has made a very encouraging start to his stud career in South Africa.

Duke Of Marmalade’s first local crop, now three-year-olds, include Cape champion Temple Grafin, the very smart filly Santa Clara, Listed Ardmore Jamaica Handicap winner Princess Irene and Saturday’s G2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks contender Seville Orange.

The bay champion, already damsire of group winners Chilean and Antonia De Vega, is also broodmare sire of the unbeaten British 3yo Jackstar, who made it two wins from as many outings when landing the Sun Racing No1 Racing Site Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton on Tuesday.

A half-brother to G1 Investec Derby winner Ruler Of The World and 2019 classic hope Norway, Duke Of Marmalade is the sire of more than 60 black type performers the world over, including G1 winners Big Orange, Simple Verse, Star Of Seville, Nutan and Sound Of Freedom.

He has 17 lots on offer at the 2019 National Sale, including a filly (Lot 132) out of G2 winning millionaire Louvre, a colt (Lot 331) out of G3 Prix du Cap winner Cuvee Brut, and a half-brother (Lot 384) to millionaire Whiteline Fever.