Marwell (horse)

As a two-year-old in 1980, Marwell was unbeaten in five races, beginning with a four-length success in the Chesterfield Stakes over five furlong at Newmarket Racecourse. After one minor win, she was moved up in class and sent to Goodwood Racecourse in July for the five-furlong Molecomb Stakes. Ridden by Lester Piggott, she won the Group Three event at odds of 4/6[6] from Swan Princess with the Queen Mary Stakes winner Pushy in third place. Stoute considered moving the filly up in distance for the Lowther Stakes at York Racecourse in August but opted for the Prince of Wales's Stakes on the following day. She defeated Welshwyn by one and a half lengths despite carrying a seven-pound weight penalty for her Goodwood success.[7] With Piggott serving a suspension, Greville Starkey took the ride on Marwell when the filly was matched against colts in the Group Two Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse in September. She was made the 4/11 favourite[6] and after starting slowly took the lead approaching the final furlong and drew clear of her opponents to win by three lengths despite being eased down in the closing stages. On her final appearance of the season, Marwell contested the Cheveley Park Stakes, then the only Group One race in the United Kingdom restricted to two-year-old fillies. Ridden again by Piggott, she won at odds of 4/9[6] from Welshwyn and Pushy.[7]

On her first appearance of the 1981 season, Marwell was moved up in distance for the seven-furlong Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury Racecourse, a trial race for the 1000 Guineas. Ridden for the first time by the nineteen-year-old Walter Swinburn, she won, although her opposition was not regarded as particularly strong.[8] On 30 April, Marwell was one of fourteen fillies to contest the 1000 Guineas over Newmarket's Rowley Mile course. Despite doubts about her ability to stay the distance, she was well-fancied but finished fourth, a length behind favourite Fairy Footsteps.[9] Although her defeat was widely attributed to a lack of stamina, Swinburn later stated that the filly could have won the race had she not been in season.[10] On 19 May, Marwell returned to sprinting for the Gus Demmy Memorial Stakes over six furlong at Haydock Park Racecourse and produced a "most impressive performance" to beat July Stakes winner Age Quod Agis.[9]

In June, Marwell was matched against colts and older horses at Royal Ascot in the King's Stand Stakes, one of three Group One, all-aged sprints run in Europe at that time. Starting the 5/4 favourite, she overtook the front-running Standaan approaching the final furlong and pulled clear with what was described as "a blistering turn of acceleration"[11] to win impressively. On her next appearance, she ran in the six_furlong July Cup at Newmarket, in which she was opposed by Moorestyle, the outstanding sprinter of 1980. Swinburn had to attend a disciplinary hearing at the Jockey Club on the morning of the race but had a car standing by and reached Newmarket in time to ride the filly.[11] Marwell and Moorestyle moved to the front of the field a furlong from the finish before the filly accelerated clear to win. Marwell returned to five furlongs for the Group Two William Hill Sprint Championship on soft ground at York Racecourse in August. In what was considered a major upset, she finished second, beaten two and a half lengths by Sharpo, who recorded the second of his three wins in the race at odds of 14/1.[12]

At Haydock in September, Marwell sustained another upset defeat in the Vernons Sprint Cup when she was narrowly beaten by Runnett, a four-year-old who had finished third in the King's Stand Stakes. On her final appearance, Marwell was sent to France for the Group One Prix de l'Abbaye over 1000 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in October. She won her third Group One of the year, beating Sharpo into second place.