Sparrow flies high

By Brad Kingsbury
CRANBOURNE jockey Mark ‘Sparrow’ Flaherty demonstrated a combination of natural talent, timing, steely focus and hard work to triumph in two of the main support events during Sunday’s Pakenham Cup meeting.
Flaherty produced a perfectly timed run on Cranbourne-trained $3 favourite Side Splitter to snatch victory in the $30,000 David Bourke Memorial Handicap and then backed it up with an equally outstanding effort aboard locally prepared gelding Very Fast, to win the $25,000 Cora Lynn Football Club Showcase.
Both winning trainers, Jean Purcell and Pakenham mentor Julien Welsh, credited their victories directly to Flaherty.
“We debated all week about claiming on him (with an apprentice) to reduce the weight but Mark really wanted to ride him and he did a great job,” Jean said.
“He rides the horse in trackwork and knows him well. He proved just how well with that ride.”
Welsh was even more complimentary in his post-race assessment.
“I put Very Fast’s win down to the ride, it’s as simple as that. Sparrow rode him exactly as I told him,” he said.
The ever-smiling Flaherty, who did not have a ride in the main race, was thrilled with both wins on either side of the Cup.
“It was good to win those races especially for the two stables involved,” he said.
“My first three rides on Side Splitter were seconds and he’s honest. I actually had to do a bit of work to stay on him because (the stable) wanted to claim, but I’m glad they stuck with me.
“It was the first time I’ve ridden Very Fast and he gave me a good feel. Jules put the blinkers on him for this race and when I pressed the button they weren’t catching us today.”