The curtain has come down on Marmelo’s racing career, with the respected stayer retired to stand at stud in France after being denied a third shot at the Melbourne Cup.
Marmelo, the 2018 Cup runner-up, was controversially withdrawn from this year’s $8 million Melbourne Cup after standing CT scans indicated potential problems.
Racing Victoria stewards reported Marmelo had incomplete fractures in his near fore and off hind cannon bones.
English trainer Hughie Morrison and owners disputed that assessment on advice from Newmarket vet Ian Wright, leaving them to mull legal action amid concerns the six-year-old would no longer be allowed to run in other jurisdictions.
But Marmelo has already run his final race, purchased to stand as a dual-purpose (flat and jumps) stallion at Haras du Grand Courgeon in Lion d’Angers from 2020.
“He was a tough and solid horse,” Alban de Mieulle of Haras du Grand Courgeon told Jour de Galop on Wednesday.
“He has a beautiful physique and the size to entice jumps breeders.
“He can also be used for speedier mares to produce flat horses. He performed well from the age of three to six and has a versatile pedigree … a good recruit for the west (of France).”
The son of Duke Of Marmalade will be available for viewing from mid-December and will serve breeders for EUR3500 ($A5650).
While never claiming a Group One, Marmelo still amassed a compelling resume in his 22-start career with seven wins and nine placings.
His most notable victories all came in France at Group Two level, winning the Prix Kergorlay and Prix De Nieuil in 2017 and the Prix Kergorlay in August.
Marmelo only raced three times in Australia, dead-heating for sixth in the 2017 Caulfield Cup and finishing ninth in that year’s Melbourne Cup as equal favourite before beating all but Cross Counter in the 2018 edition.
