Elite Racing Club matriarch Marlinka, dam of Marsha and Judicial, dies at 12

Elite Racing Club members have been dealt a huge blow with the death of their star broodmare Marlinka at the age of just 12.

The daughter of Marju succumbed to colic last Tuesday and to compound the calamity her filly foal by Showcasing could not be saved either.

Marlinka was a Listed-winning sprinter at two in France for Roger Charlton and had dazzled in her second career by producing Judicial, winner of the Coral Charge Sprint Stakes for Julie Camacho, and Marsha, successful twice at Group 1 level, as her first two foals.

Marsha, by Acclamation, was sent out by Sir Mark Prescott to win seven races including the Prix de l'Abbaye at three and a famous defeat of Lady Aurelia in the Nunthorpe at four.

At the end of her racing career she was offered as a breeding-prospect at Tattersalls and was bought by Coolmore for 6,000,000gns, a record price for a thoroughbred at auction in Europe. She produced a filly by Galileo for her new owners in January.

“It's incredibly sad because Marlinka had been the backbone of our breeding programme for the past few years,” said Elite Racing Club manager Dan Downie.

“To produce Judicial as her first foal and then to back him up with Marsha was quite special; we owe her an awful lot. It's heartbreaking, of course, but we're grateful for what she did for the club and that she still has progeny left to race.”

Marlinka is also the dam of Marseille, a six-year-old by Excelebration who won a Newcastle maiden for Camacho and enters the Elite Racing Club broodmare band this year, with Pivotal lined up for her first mating.

She also has a four-year-old filly by Iffraaj – thus a sister to Judicial – called Loretta in training with Camacho and a three-year-old filly by Dark Angel named Lady Angela with Prescott, as well as a Frankel yearling colt.

Judicial, last seen winning the Listed Golden Rose Stakes at Lingfield in November, has been a breakthrough horse for Camacho, providing the trainer with her first black-type successes.

Her husband and assistant Steve Brown said: “The news was a shock to us all, but it's a comfort to know that she has several fillies following behind who may not have shown the same ability as Marsha and Judicial but have at least shown some ability.

“Marlinka was a tremendous success for the Elite Racing Club, which has always punched well above its weight as small breeders.”

Marlinka was out of Baralinka, a winning Barathea half-sister to the owners' iconic champion racemare Soviet Song, who died aged 15 after a troubled breeding career, as well as to Triumph Hurdle winner Penzance and to Sister Act, the dam of Prix Jean Romanet winner Ribbons.

Baralinka and her siblings were out of the Elite Racing Club's foundation mare Kalinka, a winning daughter of Soviet Star whose paddocks career was nurtured by Maurice Camacho, father of Julie.

Downie had more positive news about other Elite Racing Club broodmares.

Kirtlington Stud has welcomed on the club's behalf a Mayson filly foal out of Roubles, a Speightstown mare who is the only daughter of Soviet Song, and a Lope De Vega colt foal who is the first offspring of Tribute Act, a Group 2-placed Exceed And Excel half-sister to Ribbons.

Harmonica – a Listed-placed Pivotal half-sister to the useful Zest out of Affinity, another winning daughter of Kalinka – has recently delivered a colt by Tamayuz.

In Ireland, Madison, a Mastercraftsman mare from the same dynasty, has produced a filly foal by Zoffany.

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