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Sparkling debut from Donohoe's filly

Sparklingsovereign comes home an easy winner under Leigh RocheSparklingsovereign comes home an easy winner under Leigh Roche
© Photo Healy Racing

There was another shock, in the fillies maiden, at Dundalk as the Shane Donohoe-trained newcomer Sparklingsovereign ran away with the race at 33/1.

Leigh Roche kicked clear under two furlongs out on the daughter of Archipenko and she went on to post a very impressive five-length victory over Belezza Oscura

Well-backed 6/4 favourite Blue Fragrance could only finish fifth.

“She's a hardy bit of stuff and galloped away to the line,” said Donohoe afterwards.

“She had plenty of work done and will probably be sold now. She's a nice bit of a filly but I didn't think she'd do it that well – it's a bit of a surprise. She had been working well.

“She'll be a nice scopey filly when she fills into herself.”

Roche added:- “She's very smart and did that well. I was slowly away but she was soon up there travelling and when I gave her a kick in the belly she was gone.

“I looked at the screen and couldn't believe I was that far clear. I didn't know anything about her. I thought going to the start she was very keen and mightn't get home!”

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.