Coolmore Stud has sold Duke of Marmalade to South African based Drakenstein Stud.

He began shuttling between Ireland and the Hunter Valley five years ago, however, unlike other sons of Danehill, hasn’t made the impact required to stay on the Coolmore rosters.

Duke of Marmalade and Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo) arrived out here amid a blaze of publicity from the Coolmore media machine in 2009 but both horses fell through the floorboards Down Under.

Despite serving 120 mares in his first southern crop, Duke Of Marmalade only sired two Australian juvenile winners in 2012-13.  There have been 13 winners so far this season headed by Moonee Valley Listed winner Big Memory.

His first-season statistics in the northern hemisphere were marginally better.  He sired 12 Irish-bred two year-old winners in 2012 without one of them advancing to a black-type victory.

Morning Frost claimed his initial European stakes scalp in the LR Prix Ronde de Nuit at Chantilly in March 2013.  His Ballydoyle filly Venus De Milo went one better winning the G3 Give Thanks Stakes at Cork in August 2013.

Duke of Marmalade (Ire) was Europe’s 2008 Horse of the Year and Blandford Bloodstock’s Tom Goff, who brokered the latest deal, said he can’t remember when a horse of his quality went to stand in South Africa.

“I believe this is a landmark moment both for Drakenstein Stud and for the South African breeding industry,” Goff claimed.  “Duke of Marmalade is a fantastic physical specimen and was a truly great racehorse by the mighty Danehill.”