Derrinstown Stud has reported the death of one of their former globally respected stallions, Marju (Ire) (Last Tycoon {GB}–Flame Of Tara {GB}, by Artaius). He died of natural causes at 28 years of age. Bred by Ms Pat O'Kelly's Kilcarn Stud, Marju had a beautiful pedigree being a three-parts brother to the brilliant five-time Group 1 winner Salsabil (GB) (Sadler's Wells), and he showed himself to be one of the best milers of his generation when winning the G1 St James's Palace S. at Ascot in 1991 for trainer John Dunlop and owner Hamdan Al Maktoum. Marju was retired to Derrinstown at the end of his 3-year-old season proving an instant success in his new career, siring the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner My Emma (GB), and the G1 Prix de Diane winner Sil Sila (Ire) from his first crop. While he continued to sire top class horses in Europe, in particular fillies like Soviet Song (Ire), Lightning Pearl (Ire) and Bethrah (Ire), it was further afield that he really stamped his presence. His sons Viva Pataca (GB) and Indigenous (Ire) were both legends in Hong Kong winning twelve Group 1 races between them while Chinchon (Ire) and Marju Snip (NZ) provided Group 1 success in USA and Australia respectively. In total Marju sired 12 individual Group 1 winners of 21 Group 1 races during his 19 years at stud, and his reputation as a broodmare sire is also well established, his influence in this sphere recently evident with the victory of Marsha (Acclamation (GB)–Marlinka {Ire}, by Marju {Ire}) in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye at Chantilly.
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