Frankel date for Marlinka as Elite reinvests profit from Marsha sale

Marlinka, the dam of dual Group 1-winning sprinter Marsha, is set for a liaison with Frankel next year as the Elite Racing Club reinvests funds from Marsha's record-breaking sale at Tattersalls this month in its next mating plans.

The nine-year-old daughter of Marju will make the trip to Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket for an early mating with the dual world champion, having been covered by Acclamation this year but returned not in foal to the Rathbarry Stud stalwart.

Marlinka contributed to a piece of history at this month's Tattersalls December Mares Sale as Coolmore's MV Magnier went to the staggering sum of 6,000,000gns to secure her superstar daughter Marsha.

The club's racing and breeding manager Dan Downie said: "With the money that Marsha made at Tattersalls, it meant we could look at the nominations we'd made and change them about a bit.

"This is the most exciting group of nominations that we've ever had and it's very satisfying that our breeding programme has become so successful.

"Marlinka warranted a cover such as Frankel and even with him going up to £175,000 next year, his record has been very good and I think the two are a good match. We're very excited to be using him."

Roubles, a three-year-old daughter of Speightstown who is the sole surviving daughter of Marsha's brilliant close relative Soviet Song, is a new addition to the Elite Racing Club's broodmare ranks and has had Teofilo selected for her first covering.

Downie added: "She's not a big mare and he will hopefully put a bit of size into her. The pedigrees should work quite well together and she's got plenty of speed. Roubles is the last foal out of Soviet Song and there was never any question that she would be sold."

Relive Marsha's last-gasp victory in this year's Nunthorpe Stakes

Another first-time broodmare for the club will be Zest, a winning four-year-old daughter of Duke Of Marmalade who was also Listed-placed during her career; she has had Oasis Dream selected for her debut cover.

She is one of two mares Elite Racing are sending to the 17-year-old son of Green Desert along with Kind Of Hush, a five-year-old Marju half-sister to Zest who is in foal to Dutch Art.

Downie said: "Zest may run on Saturday but she's definitely joining the broodmare band next year. She's done very well for us and I'm sure James Fanshawe would agree that she has more talent than she's shown on the racecourse.

"We're excited to have her in the broodmare band and she's a strong addition to it. With Oasis Dream dropping down to £30,000 in 2018, I felt he is very, very good value and we've had success with him in the past.

Other mating plans for the Elite mares include a visit to Coolmore for Sistine, a nine-year-old daughter of Dubai Destination who is the dam of the winning Dark Acclaim. Currently not in foal, the next name on her dance card will be dual 2,000 Guineas hero Gleneagles.

Also making the trip to Coolmore is the winning Stars Above Me, a six-year-old daughter of Exceed And Excel, who will visit the operation's new recruit Churchill once she has delivered a foal by Acclamation.

Downie said: "She was very quick over five furlongs and I thought it'd be a good match. We liked him as a racehorse and he was one we were very excited about when he retired. You may have noticed a pattern with Churchill and Frankel; unfortunately Galileo is a bit beyond our budget but replicating the Galileo cross with speedy mares is a thought that has crossed our mind.

"Sistine has been a bit unlucky as she only had her first runner this year with Dark Acclaim. She's been with us for a while but various reasons have meant we haven't raced her progeny. We're hopeful as she has a Lope De Vega filly foal and we want to give her every chance."

Completing the matings is China Tea, an 11-year-old daughter of High Chaparral whose leading performer is this season's Greatwood Hurdle scorer Elgin. She has been booked into runaway German Derby winner Sea The Moon at Lanwades Stud after she has produced a foal by the late Archipenko.

Downie said: "China Tea is from a lovely family and she's not really hit the jackpot with us on the Flat for us but has over jumps. I thought we'd go down the line of stamina with her."

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