A winner of the St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-I) after chasing home Generous in the Derby (Eng-I), Marju has resided at the Derrinstown Stud, Ireland of his owner Sheikh Hamdam Maktoum since 1992. Salsabil's sibling worked a single season in New Zealand in 2000, at the defunt Ra Ora, before shuttling to Australia last year. His 110 stakes winners include grade I-winning fillies My Emma and Sil Sila and Hong Kong hero Indigenous.
On a weekend dominated by news of the tragic death of Zafonic, the shuttle list was also reduced by the illness of Marju. The Last Tycoon son's season at Collingrove in Victoria was cancelled on Sept. 6 as the 14 year-old battled travel sickness.Marju was released on Aug. 30 with the other shuttle stallions from the Eastern Creek Quarantine facility outside Sydney, after the West Nile Virus scare abated. At that time the horse appeared to have recovered from the travel sickness which beset in quarantine. That diagnosis was confirmed before his release.The usual displayed sympton of travel sickness is often only an elevated temperature and although Marju's had stabalized and was normal in the days before he embarked on his scheduled journey south, it was planned to take him the 1000 kilometers road transport in easy stages.However, when he arrived at the first scheduled stop at the Camden Veterinary Clinic, just south of Sydney, his temperature was again high and farther travel abandoned.His condition did not improve enough in the ensuring seven days for Collingrove to contemplate preceeding with a stud season and mare owners were contacted. As of the following Monday (Sept. 9) Marju is in no dangerThe Victorian farm is operated jointly by the Sangster and Hayes familes.
