Footsteps filly Sandiva claims G3

Sandiva (2f Footstepsinthesand-Miss Corinne, by Mark Of Esteem) proved herself one of the best juveniles fillies in Europe on Saturday when winning the G3 Prix du Calvados at Deauville.

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani's Footstepsinthesand filly made the long journey to France from Richard Fahey's North Yorkshire stable and it was a trip that proved more than worthwhile.

Frankie Dettori was forced to go wide aboard Sandiva, taking the lead two furlongs from home and getting up by a length and a half from Straight Thinking.

"She was beaten by a very good filly at Ascot (when second in the G3 Albany Stakes) but I just felt she was better today," Fahey told the Racing Post. "She probably proved it because Frankie said everything went wrong and she still won. She was stuck on the outside without any cover but she's a filly with speed and a bit of class.

"I'll have to speak to the boss - I know he'll be keen to run in the fillies' race on Arc day (G1 Prix Marcel Boussac) but, whether or not she gets a mile, we'll have to see."

Sandiva was bred by Denis McDonnell at Parkway Farm and sold for a now bargain £18,000 at last year's Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale.