Virginia Hall

Virginia Hall put up a nice performance when making all in a one-mile listed race for three-year-old fillies at Sandown on Saturday. Seb Sanders was aggressive on the Sir Mark Prescott-trained filly in the early stages to ensure that she could get an early lead. She set a decent pace, quickened up early in the straight and just went further clear, the race was over as a contest passing the furlong pole.

This was an impressive performance from the daughter of Medicean, she set a fast pace and was able to pick up off it early in the straight. The time was good, just a shade faster than standard and there were some fairly useful yardsticks in Lady Darshaan and Marie De Medici in behind. Virginia Hall was a progressive juvenile last season, she won twice and was a close second to Joanna in a Group 3 contest at Deauville, and that filly went on to take a Group 2 race and to finish third in the French 1000 Guineas. Virginia Hall got better as last season went on, she has continued that progression into this term, and she gives the impression she could be better as a three-year-old. This was just her second run this season, she was a little bit fresh on her reappearance at Warwick when she finished fourth behind Seta, and this should bring her right on again. She was beaten in a Group 3 contest in Hamburg on Wednesday, but she deserves another crack at Group company and, as long as her trip to Germany hasn’t taken too much out of her, she will be interesting wherever she goes next.

3rd July 2010