Sparkling Plenty, the winner of Sunday’s Prix de Diane, commanded attention at the Goffs London Sale where she initially fetched an astonishing £8.1 million. However, the story didn’t end there.
It was later revealed that owner-breeder Jean-Pierre Dubois bought her back, only to subsequently sell a portion to Al Shaqab Racing in a private deal valued at £5 million.
The daughter of Kingman entered the French Oaks as a somewhat underestimated contender, despite a convincing victory in the Group Two Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly earlier in the month. Returning to the same track, Patrice Cottier’s filly defied her initial odds by finishing strongly to clinch victory over Survie by a head under the guidance of Tony Piccone.
Sparkling Plenty’s Classic triumph wasn’t merely a one-off achievement based on pedigree. Her dam, Speralita, previously produced Noble Truth, winner of the Jersey Stakes and a Group One runner-up at two for Godolphin.
Speralita, sired by Frankel, was unraced but boasts a lineage that includes Stacelita, a multiple elite-level winner in both Europe and America, including victory in the Prix de Diane.