Sparks Fly
The rains that fell on Epsom on Derby day came just a couple of hours later than ideal for Sparks Fly, but she still put up a fine performance in finishing third in the opening race of the day, the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes. A little out-paced through the first furlong, she had to settle in behind, ninth of the 11 runners, as they raced to the first turn. That wasn't ideal for a mare who usually leads or races prominently, at a track at which and on a weekend on which horses who raced prominently were being rewarded. Still only eighth as they levelled up for home, David Loughnane's mare didn't get into the clear until they got to the two-furlong marker and, when she did, she picked up well, staying on strongly down the near side to take third place behind Spiritual and Bright Thunder, who had occupied the first two places from flagfall.
Spiritual was an impressive winner, and she is obviously a filly to follow, although she is not exactly under the radar now. She made almost all the running, but her finishing speed percentage was lower than par, it wasn't that she got a soft lead, and she won by almost five lengths. Spiritual was fastest through the final three furlongs, but Sparks Fly was second fastest, only marginally slower than the winner, and she was over a half a second faster than the next fastest. This was the Muhaarar mare's first run since March, and it was just her second run since she won a listed race on heavy ground at Saint-Cloud in November. She will be of interest again when the ground softens again, and all her best form is over a mile.
Epsom, 7th June 2025
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