Marsha (horse)
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Marsha (16 March 2013 – 2023) was an Irish-bred, British-trained
Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse and
broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...
. She was a specialist sprinter, all but one of whose victories came over the minimum distance of five
furlongs A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 feet, 220 yards, 40  rods, 10 chains, or approximately 201 metres. It is no ...
(1000 metres). After winning two minor races as a juvenile in 2015, she made progress throughout the following year, taking the Land O'Burns Fillies' Stakes and the City Walls Stakes before ending her season with a win in the
Prix de l'Abbaye The Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,000 metres (about 5 furlon ...
. In 2017 she added wins in the Palace House Stakes and the
Nunthorpe Stakes The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is sc ...
and was sold at the end of the year for a record price of 6,000,000
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...
.


Background

Marsha was a bay mare with a small white
star A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...
bred and owned by Elite Racing Club. She was trained in
Newmarket, Suffolk Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk (district), West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, 14 miles west of Bury St Edmunds and 14 miles northeast of Cambridge. In 2021, it had a population of 16,772. It is a global ...
by Sir Mark Prescott and ridden in most of her races by
Luke Morris Luke Morris (born 20 October 1988) is an English jockey who competes in flat racing. Background Morris comes from a racing background, his grandfather Joe Tate, uncle Jason Tate and cousin Ryan Tate all being jockeys. He was born in Oxford a ...
. She was sired by Acclamation, a high-class sprinter who won the
Diadem Stakes A diadem is a crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. Overview The word derives from the Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", from διαδέω ''diadéō'', "I bind ...
in 2003 and whose other progeny have included Dark Angel and Equiano. Marsha's dam Marlinka raced only as a two-year-old in 2010, showing considerable ability as she won three races including the Listed Prix des Reves d'Or over 1000 metres at
Vichy Vichy (, ; ) is a city in the central French department of Allier. Located on the Allier river, it is a major spa and resort town and during World War II was the capital of Vichy France. As of 2021, Vichy has a population of 25,789. Known f ...
. Marlinka's dam Baralinka was a half sister to
Soviet Song Soviet Song (18 February 2000 – 16 November 2015) was a racehorse bred and owned by Elite Racing Club. She was foaled on 18 February 2000, sired by Marju (IRE) out of Kalinka (IRE) (Soviet Star). She raced in England, Ireland and France dur ...
and a distant relative of L'Attrayante.


Racing career


2015: two-year-old season

Marsha began her racing career on 4 September in
maiden race In horse racing, a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...
over six
furlongs A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 feet, 220 yards, 40  rods, 10 chains, or approximately 201 metres. It is no ...
on the polytrack surface at
Kempton Park Racecourse Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track together with a alcohol licensing laws of the United Kingdom, licensed entertainment and conference venue in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, on the border with Greater London; it is 13 miles ...
when she started at odds of 9/1 and finished second, beaten a
length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with Dimension (physical quantity), dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a Base unit (measurement), base unit for length is chosen, ...
by Zhui Feng. Two weeks later, she recorded her first success in a maiden at Catterick Racecourse, taking the lead two furlong out and beating The Full Bloom by half length. For her last two races of the year the filly was sent to race on the polytrack at
Dundalk Racecourse Dundalk Stadium is a horse and greyhound racing venue in Ireland. It is located to the north of Dundalk in County Louth. The total build cost €35million with a modern grandstand, elevated viewing areas, restaurant and bars. Horse racing T ...
. On 9 October she started 8/15 favourite for a race over five furlongs and won "comfortably" by three and a quarter lengths from Go Kart. Two weeks later she was matched against older horses in the Listed Mercury Stakes and finished third behind the eight-year-old
gelding A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By compa ...
Take Cover.


2016: three-year-old season

Marsha began her second season in a handicap race over six furlongs at
Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...
on 14 May in which she carried 126 pounds and finished second, beaten half a length by Show Stealer. When stepped up in class for the
Group 3 Group 3 may refer to: * Group 3 element, chemical element classification * Group 3 (motorsport), FIA classification of cars used in auto racing and rallying * Group 3, the third tier of races in worldwide Thoroughbred horse racing * Group 3 image ...
Ballyogan Stakes The Ballyogan Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at The Curragh over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), ...
at the
Curragh The Curragh ( ; ) is a flat open plain in County Kildare, Ireland. This area is well known for horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is on the edge of Kildare town, beside the Japanese Gardens. Pollardstown Fen, the larges ...
she came home fifth of the nine runners, six and a half lengths behind the winner Divine. Two weeks after her defeat in Ireland the filly started 7/4 favourite for the Land O'Burns Fillies' Stakes over five furlongs at
Ayr Racecourse Ayr Racecourse at Whitletts Road, Ayr, Scotland,''British Racing and Racecourses'' () by Marion Rose Halpenny – Page 71 was opened in 1907. There are courses for Flat racing, flat and for National Hunt racing. History Horse racing in Ayr dat ...
. Ridden by Paul Mulrennan she pulled hard in the early stages before taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning "very readily" by two and a half length from Fine Blend. On 9 July at
York Racecourse York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England. It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...
Marsha started 5/1 second choice in the betting behind the six-year-old Muthmir (winner of the 2015
King George Stakes The King George Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is ...
) in the City Walls Stakes. She recovered from a poor start to gain the advantage in the final strides and win by a neck from Easton Angel. In the King George Stakes at Goodwood at the end of July she came home fifth in a blanket finish, beaten less than a length by the winner Take Cover. In September she was sent to France and finished second to the gelding Just Glamorous in the Prix du Petit Couvert over 1000 metres at
Chantilly Racecourse Chantilly Racecourse (In French: "Hippodrome de Chantilly") is a Thoroughbred grass, turf race track, racecourse for flat racing in Chantilly, Oise, France, about north of the centre of the city of Paris. Chantilly Racecourse is located in the ...
. With
Longchamp Racecourse The Longchamp Racecourse (, ) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for ...
closed for redevelopment the 2016 edition of the Prix de l'Abbaye was run over 1000 metres at Chantilly on 2 October. Marsha was made a 16/1 outsider while Mecca's Angel started 6/4 favourite in a seventeen-runner field. The other runners included Maarek (winner of the race in 2013),
Profitable In economics, profit is the difference between revenue that an economic entity has received from its outputs and total costs of its inputs, also known as surplus value. It is equal to total revenue minus total cost, including both explicit an ...
(
King's Stand Stakes The King Charles III Stakes (formerly the King's Stand Stakes) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 fu ...
), Just Glamorous, Take Cover, Goldream, Ardad (
Flying Childers Stakes The Flying Childers Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 5 furlongs and 3 yards (1,008 metres), and it is sch ...
), Cotai Glory (
Molecomb Stakes The Molecomb Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled to take plac ...
) and the
Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA. ...
-trained Washington DC. Just Glamorous set the pace before giving way to Mecca's Angel 300 metres from the finish at which point Marsha, who had been settled in mid-division, began to make rapid progress. Marsha caught Mecca's Angel well inside the last 100 metres and held off the fast-finishing Washington DC to win by three quarters of a length.


2017: four-year-old season

On her first run of 2017, Marsha, as a Group 1 winner, was required to carry a seven-pound weight penalty in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on 6 May and started the 8/1 fourth choice in the betting behind Washington, D.C., Priceless and Muthmir. After being restrained by Morris towards the rear, she accelerated into the lead and kept on "gamely" to win by a neck and a length from Washington, D.C. and Goldream. In the King's Stand Stakes at
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
in June Marsha started favourite, but proved no match for the American filly Lady Aurelia, who won easily, and lost second place by a head to Profitable. Marsha was expected to return to winning form in the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh in July and started the 1/2 favourite, but after taking the lead a furlong out she was caught on the line and beaten a short head by the eight-year-old gelding Caspian Prince. On 4 August she ran for the second time in the King George Stakes, but after experiencing some difficulty obtaining a clear run she came home third behind Battaash and Profitable. The Nunthorpe Stakes at York on 25 August attracted a field of eleven, and saw Marsha start at odds of 8/1. Lady Aurelia (ridden by
Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori (; born 15 December 1970), is an Italian jockey who was based in England for a career spanning over 35 years. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey three times (1994, 1995 and 2004) and rode the winners of 287 ...
) was made the odds-on favourite ahead of Battaash, while the other runners included Profitable, Washington DC, Priceless, Take Cover, Cotai Glory and Goldream. Lady Aurelia set off in front with Marsha being settled behind the leaders before making a forward move in the last quarter mile. Approaching the final furlong the race looked to be devolving into a three-way struggle between Lady Aurelia racing down the centre of the track, Battaash on the leader's right and Marsha racing up the stands-side rail. Battaash dropped from contention and the two fillies crossed the line together resulting in a
photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the fini ...
. Dettori celebrated his presumed victory by punching the air and waving his whip to the crowd but the judge's decision was that Marsha had prevailed by a nose. At Chantilly in October, Marsha attempted to repeat her 2016 success in the Prix de l'Abbaye. After racing at the rear of the field she made rapid progress in the closing stages, but was never able to pose a threat to Battaash and was beaten four lengths into second place. On her final racecourse appearance, the filly was sent to the United States to contest the
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is a Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up. As its name implies, it is a part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the ''de facto'' year-end championship for North American ...
at
Del Mar Racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is an event venue in Del Mar, California. It hosts the annual San Diego County Fair. The venue sits on a property along the Pacific Ocean coastline. It includes the Del Mar Racetrack, built in 1936 by the Del Mar Thoroug ...
on 4 November and finished sixth of the twelve runners behind the 40/1 outsider
Stormy Liberal Stormy Liberal (foaled April 12, 2012) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse. He broke his maiden in his second start at age two but won only once in the next two years. In October 2016, he was claimed by trainer Peter Miller for $40,000 a ...
. At the
Tattersalls Tattersalls (formerly Tattersall's) is the main auctioneer of race horses in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Founding It was founded in 1766 by Richard Tattersall (1724–1795), who had been stud groom to the second Duke of Kingston. ...
December mares sale on 5 December 2017 Marsha was put up for auction and was sold for a European record price of 6,000,000
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...
to Michael Magnier of the
Coolmore Stud Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland, is the headquarters of one of the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. Through its racing arm, Ballydoyle, Coolmore also has raced many classic winners and champio ...
after a lengthy bidding duel with
John Gosden John Harry Martin Gosden (born 30 March 1951) is a British Horse trainer, racehorse trainer. He has trained over 3,000 winners worldwide, including victories in the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Epsom Derby, Derby, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, A ...
.


Breeding record

Marsha produced her first foal, a filly sired by
Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...
, in January 2020. In 2022 and 2023 she produced foals by
Frankel Frankel is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973), British composer * Bethenny Frankel (born 1970), American chef and reality television personality * Charles Frankel (1917–1975), American philoso ...
(a filly and a colt). She died aged ten in 2023.


Pedigree


References

{{Reflist


External links


Career 1-2-3 Colour Chart
– ''Marsha'' 2013 racehorse births 2023 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 20-a