Laura Pearson has praised the tremendous career of Sparks Fly after connections revealed an injury has led them to bow her out in one piece.
In the familiar colours of Dave Lowe’s green silks, Sparks Fly won 13 of her 28 career starts. Laura Pearson was in the saddle for 11 of them, with the pair creating a formidable partnership.
Speaking to the Press Association, via Racing TV, Laura Pearson said: “I’ve been incredibly lucky to bump into a horse like Sparks Fly and they don’t come around very often.
“She’s been a flagbearer for the yard and has single-handedly dragged me to where I am in my career now. I probably owe that I still have a licence to that mare. I think without her I would have hung my boots up a couple of years ago.
“A lot of credit also needs to go to Kayleigh McCammon who rode her every day. As she was never easy and always a bit temperamental. I think she needs as much credit as Dave does for training her and I do for holding on to her neck strap.
“I hope in the years to come I sit on lots of lovely horses. But you never forget your first good one. She really took me to some great places and allowed me to play on the big scenes that otherwise I might not have done. She’s been a huge part of my career.”
“It was incredible to finish at the top” – Laura Pearson
Sparks Fly and Pearson combined to win three Listed contests and two Group 3’s, four of them at Saint-Cloud. Her final, and most impressive win, came in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom. It was poetry in motion to witness with both horse and rider in perfect tandem. As the other jockeys trekked across to the nearside, Pearson made the enterprising decision to stick to the rail. She bolted up over eight lengths, and won eased down in her preferred muddy conditions.
Pearson continued: “It’s gutting and I do think she could have won the Group One as she always felt she was improving.
“However, it was incredible to win a big race like that before it ended. I would say for the whole team that was the best out of all the winning days we had. It was incredible to finish at the top.”