BACK-UP PRODUCES SPARKLING PERFORMANCE

Japanese mare Sparkle scored her first win on Australian soil, thanks to a seven-day back-up at Flemington on Saturday.

After finished third at Flemington last week, trainer Danny O'Brien decided to back the mare up and his choice was justified when she proved too good on the opening race of Newmarket Handicap Day.

"She had had a year off before she went back to the races for the first time at the 1400 and she just needed those two to blow out the cobwebs and getting back to the 2000 has been a real plus and he's rated her perfectly there today," O'Brien said post race.

"It just seemed a very suitable race and she just seemed a bit fresh and above herself last week and I just thought off a seven-day break it might bring her to her best..

"She paraded a lot more relaxed here today and she's raced very well."

Jockey Blake Shinn rated Sparkle perfectly out in front and the mare kept kicking when challenged to score the win. 

"I pretty much just rode the horse instead of the way the race could have been run," Shinn said.

"Froggy (Craig Newitt) was going to kick up and lead, but my horse is a galloper - she's a free-roller, she raced in Japan prior to being here and they run Japanese races at a brutal tempo - so I think she can absorb pressure - I know she can - and we just rode her to be comfortable.

"If you see the film, she had her ears pricked the whole way.

"I thought I had a good enough run and then I picked it up because obviously the fancied runners were going to be spotting me a start, so my asset was to get rolling and if they were going to chase me they were going to have to have a bit of stamina, which I know my girl has got.

"I still think she's still got a little way to go but she's improving all the time and they take a little while to acclimate these imported horses and she'll just get better and better and I think she's got a nice race in her," Shinn concluded.

Pic by Racing Photos