RATHBARRY Stud must have been rocking last Sunday night after two of their sires recorded successive Group 1 victories at Chantilly on Sunday.

Acclamation got the celebrations underway when his three-year-old daughter Marsha got the better of Washington DC and Mecca’s Angel in the Prix de l’Abbaye. This was shortly followed by Limato’s superlative success in the Prix de la Foret, and he is a four-year-old son of Tagula.

Bred and raced by Elite Racing Club, Marsha was taking a serious step up in class and was not found wanting. Placed in a listed race at Dundalk last year, she won a pair of listed races this year prior to her Group 1 triumph.

It is no surprise that she is related to the Club’s star performers Soviet Song and Ribbons.

Marsha is the best of a pair of successful offspring from the French listed winner Marlinka, a daughter of Marju. She was preceded by the four-year-old Iffraaj gelding Judicial and he is winner of six races to date.

Marlinka’s third produce is a two-year-old filly Marseille, by Excelebration, and there is also a Cape Cross yearling colt and an Iffraaj filly foal waiting in the wings.

BARATHEA

Marlinka’s dam Baralinka was by the great Rathbarry stallion Barathea and she won four races. She is a half-sister to the European champion Soviet Song, an outstanding runner by Marju. A nine-time winner, Soviet Song was victorious in five Group 1 races, the Sussex Stakes, Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, Fillies’ Mile and the Falmouth Stakes. The latter race she won twice.

Marju mated especially well with this family and he is the sire of Soviet Star’s own-sister Sister Act, the dam of the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ribbons.

For good measure, Soviet Song’s half-sister Kazatzka is the dam of a group winning daughter of Marju in Miss Marjurie.

Tagula was advertised this year at €4,000 and what a bargain he is. Hs sons Limato and Canford Cliffs advertise his prowess admirably. Seamus Phelan breeds at Weylands Stud near Straffan and emerging from this nursery is the dual Group 1 winning sprinter Limato.

Winner of eight of his 13 races and runner-up four times, he finished fourth in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes on his only other start, the only time he ran further than seven furlongs.

INSPIRED BUY

What an inspired buy he was by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock at the DBS Yearling Sale in 2013 when he cost £41,000. He has now won almost £940,000.

He is the first living offspring of his dam Come April who won on her debut. A 52,000gns foal, she was a bargain buy by Emerald Bloodstock as a five-year-old for £3,800. She is out of a full-sister to the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes winner Compton Admiral, a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Summoner and a half-sister to the dam of the champion racemare The Fugue, winner of four Group 1 races in Ireland and England.

Come April is in foal to Invincible Spirit.