Listed success for Halling filly

Three year-old Halling filly Marina Piccola won the Listed Prix de Thiberville at Longchamp on Saturday evening on just her third racecourse start.

Bred in Ireland by Petra Bloodstock Agency, Marina Piccola, who races in the colours of Lady O'Reilly, won on her debut at Maisons-Laffitte over nine furlongs in May and was then beaten just a head when stepping up to 11 furlongs in the Prix de Cheffreville a Longchamp on June 2.

Returning to the central Paris track, she was again asked to step up but proved that a mile and a half was no problem for her in the Thiberville, winning by a length and three-quarters from Gloomy Sunday, by Halling's former Dalham Hall stable-mate, the late Singspiel.

Her victory proved a timely update for La Motteraye Consignment, which sells her Dubawi half-brother at the forthcoming Arqana August Yearling Sale in Deauville.

Marina Piccola's 21-year-old father Halling, the sire of 47 stakes winners, belied his age with a spritely appearance as he led the Darley stallion parade at Dalham Hall Stud last week. The annual parade for breeders who support our stallions has become one of the highlights of Newmarket's July Week celebrations in the build-up to the G1 Darley July Cup.