Marhaba The Champ
🐎 Marhaba The Champ (GB)
Foaled: 4th May 2019 | Sex: Gelding | Colour: Chestnut
Sire: Galileo (IRE) | Dam: Lady Of The Desert (USA) (by Rahy (USA))
Owner: Ursa Major Racing, Griffin & Leech
Trainer: Sophie Leech
Why This Horse?
Marhaba The Champ is a classy and versatile gelding who brings a huge amount of ability and experience to the Ursa Major Racing team. A horse with a strong Flat background, he has already enjoyed success in competitive handicaps and has shown the versatility to adapt to a new challenge over hurdles.
A winner of three races on the Flat, including valuable handicaps, Marhaba The Champ has proven himself capable of competing at a good level. His standout Flat performances included victories at York, a track where he has produced some of his best form, highlighting his quality and his ability to handle competitive company.
Since joining Sophie Leech, he has embarked on a new chapter over obstacles. His classy pedigree and natural athleticism provide plenty of encouragement that he can continue to progress, with the potential to become a useful dual-purpose performer.
🏇 Racing Profile
Foaled on 4th May 2019, Marhaba The Champ is a British-bred chestnut gelding who races in the colours of Ursa Major, Griffin & Leech. He began his career on the Flat, building a strong record with three victories and multiple placed efforts from over 20 starts, earning more than £100,000 in prize money.
A strong traveller who enjoys settling into a rhythm, he has shown his best form over distances around one mile to one mile two furlongs, where his combination of stamina and class can be used effectively. His Flat victories demonstrated his ability to handle competitive handicaps and his willingness to battle when asked.
After moving into National Hunt racing, he quickly showed promise when finishing second over hurdles at Newcastle, suggesting that his Flat ability and pedigree could make him an interesting recruit to the jumping game.
With experience over obstacles likely to bring further improvement, Marhaba The Champ remains an intriguing dual-purpose horse with plenty of ability still to unlock.
🏠 Training
Marhaba The Champ is trained by Sophie Leech, whose Dorset-based yard has developed a reputation for rejuvenating horses and finding new opportunities for them across both Flat and National Hunt racing.
The move to the Leech stable has seen Marhaba The Champ begin a new phase of his career, switching between codes and gaining valuable experience over hurdles. His second place in a novice hurdle at Newcastle showed that he retains plenty of ability and that his Flat class can be transferred to jumping.
Sophie’s patient approach and ability to place horses effectively make her an ideal trainer for a horse with Marhaba The Champ’s profile — a talented performer who may still have more improvement to come as he strengthens and gains confidence over obstacles.
🧬 Pedigree Highlights
Marhaba The Champ is bred from one of the greatest influences in modern racing — Galileo.
Galileo needs little introduction, having become one of the most successful stallions in Thoroughbred history. His offspring are renowned for their class, toughness, temperament and ability to perform at the highest level. Marhaba The Champ has inherited many of those qualities, particularly his professionalism and ability to maintain his form over different challenges.
His dam, Lady Of The Desert, was herself a high-class performer, winning at Group level and possessing plenty of speed. She is by Rahy, another influential sire whose descendants are known for quality, athleticism and versatility.
This combination of Galileo stamina and class with Lady Of The Desert’s speed influence gives Marhaba The Champ an excellent foundation for both Flat and National Hunt racing — a pedigree capable of producing a horse with quality, durability and adaptability.
🌟 Looking Ahead
Marhaba The Champ remains an exciting horse for connections, with the potential to continue thriving in his second career over hurdles.
Having already proven himself on the Flat, the focus now is on allowing him to develop confidence and experience over obstacles. His pedigree, previous form and encouraging early jumping efforts suggest he could become a competitive handicap hurdler with time.
With Sophie Leech carefully managing his campaign, there is every reason to believe Marhaba The Champ can provide more memorable days for his owners. A talented, classy and versatile performer, he is exactly the type of horse that makes ownership so rewarding — one with proven ability and the excitement of further potential ahead
