Sparks Fly dazzled Saint-Cloud once again, securing her third consecutive victory by successfully defending her Prix Isola Bella title on Sunday. The four-year-old, trained by David Loughnane, claimed last year’s Listed race by a staggering 12 lengths, and although her winning margin was smaller this time, she still sealed her triumph with confidence and ease.
This latest victory adds to Sparks Fly’s recent wins: an October race at Saint-Cloud and her first stakes success in Britain at Nottingham. This win also marked her 11th career victory and third straight Listed win. Loughnane proudly praised her, calling her an "absolute superstar" who has been a strong representative for the team over the past two years.
He admitted they felt confident going into the race, with the only concern being if it had come too soon after Nottingham. However, her recovery was strong, making Sunday’s race the perfect season finale. Loughnane remarked that left-handed tracks with suitable conditions make it easy for her, allowing her to cruise at a pace most rivals can’t handle.
Set to continue training at five, Sparks Fly’s team is already looking forward to her next season. Loughnane is hopeful she can aim higher, sharing his long-held belief that she can win at group level. Although conditions didn’t provide those opportunities this year, he confirmed that group races will be the primary goal for her next season.
The British contingent also saw success in the Listed Prix Herod, where jockey Sam James skillfully led Glamis Road to victory for Ollie Sangster. Nick Bradley, managing director of Nick Bradley Racing, praised James for his clever front-running strategy. Bradley noted that, despite some bad luck in Glamis Road’s recent Prix Miesque run, James learned from it and executed a perfect plan at Saint-Cloud.
With the season now over, Glamis Road will take a break before returning in early spring, with plans to enter group races in France or possibly Britain. Bradley hinted at a possible step up in distance, confident she’ll continue thriving on the track next year.