▁against ▁her ▁own ▁age ▁and ▁sex . ▁More ▁notable ▁were ▁her ▁success es ▁in ▁open ▁competition , ▁including ▁the ▁Good wood ▁and ▁Don c aster ▁Cu ps ▁and ▁three ▁of ▁the ▁season ' s ▁most ▁valuable ▁hand ic ap ▁races . ▁She ▁was ▁regarded ▁by ▁many ▁British ▁exper ts ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁race h ors es ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Background ▁Vi rag o , ▁a ▁dark ▁ch est nut ▁fil ly ▁with ▁one ▁white ▁foot ▁who ▁stood ▁ 1 6 ▁hands ▁high , ▁was ▁b red , ▁like ▁the ▁Derby ▁winner ▁Vol t ige ur , ▁by ▁Robert ▁Steph enson ▁at ▁his ▁stud ▁at ▁Hart , ▁near ▁Hart le pool , ▁County ▁Dur ham . ▁Vi rag o ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁" more ▁racing - looking ▁than ▁hand some " ▁and ▁having ▁a ▁" qu iet ▁and ▁do cile " ▁temper ament . ▁As ▁a ▁year ling , ▁she ▁was ▁bought ▁for ▁either ▁£ 3 0 0 , ▁£ 3 5 0 ▁or ▁£ 4 6 0 ▁( s ources ▁differ ) ▁at ▁the ▁Don c aster ▁sales ▁by ▁Henry ▁Pad wick , ▁a ▁not orious ▁m one yl ender ▁who ▁used ▁the ▁name ▁" Mr . ▁Howard " ▁for ▁his ▁racing ▁interests , ▁with ▁John ▁Scott ▁as ▁the ▁under bid der . ▁John ▁Bar ham ▁Day , ▁who ▁was ▁iron ically ▁known ▁as ▁" H on est ▁John ", ▁trained ▁the ▁fil ly ▁at ▁Pad wick ' s ▁stable ▁at ▁Find on , ▁West