Sparkling Jubilee's successful swan song

Diane de Kock and Chris Haynes have enjoyed a pleasurable journey with Sparkling Jubilee, who showed her usual courage in her swan song, bowing out with a win in a handicap over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, 31 August.

This was Sparkling Jubilee’s fifth success from 20 starts. The mare, bought as an anniversary present for Diane at the Bloodstock SA National Two-Year-Old Sale in 2021, is a daughter of Oratorio and Zirconeum, who finished second for the De Kock stable to Big City Life in the 2009 Durban July.

Zirconeum happenend to be one of Diane’s favourites, and she partnered with Chris Haynes to race her over the last four years. She said: "It was very exciting and Craig Zackey rode a wonderful race. Sparkling Jubilee always gave her best and did wonderfully well to win five times."

Sparkling Jubilee has been places on BSA's September online sale and Mike de Kock commented: "She's a good mare prospect for anybody. She's by a good broodmare sire out of a Grade 1 winning mare. She's out there to be bought, she's a hard knocker I'd recommend breeding with. We've had a lot of fun with her."

Sparkling Jubilee has been a flagbearer for Nigel and Kat Riley's Heversham Park Farm, and Riley said: "She has proved that Gauteng breeders can actually produce winners. Her dam Zirconeum was long unsuccessful when she was standing in the Cape, she blossomed when we bought her and brought her to Highveld, and is still active."