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Champion mare Inara's date with Galileo has been cancelled with the mare to retire to stud in South Africa rather than being exported to Europe.

Drakenstein Stud was considering sending the multiple G1 winner to Ireland to be served by champion sire Galileo at Coolmore Stud.

Drakenstein Stud’s Gaynor Rupert said it was not an easy decision to resolve breeding plans for the Equus Award winner.

“It would obviously have made more financial sense to send her to stud in Europe but she is such a special filly to us that we are loath to send her away,” she said.

“Inara is very special to us, having been born on the farm at Drakenstein and having raced in our colours for three seasons.

“She is a beautifully bred filly, and combined with her racing achievements we felt we needed to give her the best chance at stud possible. As such, we thought seriously about sending her to the world’s best stallion Galileo.

Inara will now go to Duke Of Marmalade, the former Coolmore sire who now stands in South Africa.

Duke Of Marmalade is currently Europe’s leading fifth crop sire and has produced three European classic winners.

Inara arrived at Drakenstein Stud at the end of July to prepare for the start of her broodmare career. She is scheduled to visit Duke of Marmalade within the next few weeks.

Inara was the leader of her generation winning five G1 races, earning Horse of the Year at the Cape Racing Awards and winning a Special Achievement Award at the annual national Equus Awards in Johannesburg.

By champion sire Trippi, she is out of the Shirley Heights mare Mountains Of Mist, the granddam of triple G1 Canadian International winner Joshua Tree.

Inara’s sire Trippi was crowned South Africa’s Champion Sire for 2015-2016 and is once again atop of the General Sires List.

The son of End Sweep, whose offspring have earned in excess of $50 million, is the sire of 64 stakes winners with his offspring including the US G1 winner R Heat Lightning.