THE story of the week for me was the victory of Cream Sparkles over hurdles at Ballinrobe on Monday evening. The seven-year-old daughter of Scorpion would have been an ideal candidate for ‘Bargain of the Week’ on my Breeding Insights pages, but her tale is worthy of the widest possible audience – hence her inclusion in this editorial.

Roscommon owner Micheál O’Connor went to the Tattersalls Ireland August Sale four years ago and spent €5,000 on the filly now named Cream Sparkles. She was good value then, being a half-sister to three winners on the track and a point-to-point winner. One of those winners had been placed a few times in Grade 2 hurdle races.