It's been a long time coming but former boom juvenile Paprika bounced back to her brilliant best with a big win in the Bat Out Of Hell Handicap at the Gold Coast on Saturday.Paprika was the leading Queensland two-year-old filly of her generation in a campaign that culminated with a luckless second to Phelan Ready in the 2009 Magic Millions Classic.Her three-year-old season was plagued by a series of niggling injuries and her connections have endured a frustrating sequence of setbacks along the w

It's been a long time coming but former boom juvenile Paprika bounced back to her brilliant best with a big win in the Bat Out Of Hell Handicap at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Paprika was the leading Queensland two-year-old filly of her generation in a campaign that culminated with a luckless second to Phelan Ready in the 2009 Magic Millions Classic.

Her three-year-old season was plagued by a series of niggling injuries and her connections have endured a frustrating sequence of setbacks along the way.

But their patience and perseverance was rewarded when Paprika ploughed through the heavy conditions to score a decisive win in the $100,000 900m feature.

Confidently ridden by Paul Hammersley, Paprika ($9.50) stormed home from midfield to beat perennial placegetter Leapfrog ($17) by a long neck with local mare Beethog ($11) 1-3/4 lengths back third.

Hammersley's joy was shortlived when Paprika dislodged him shortly after the winning post and he was stood down for the remainder of the meeting with a corked thigh.

Trainer Liam Birchley said it was a huge relief to see Paprika return to her best.

"It's really pleasing to have her back," Birchley said.

"I think she's over most of her problems and she can go on from here.

"She's a way better horse on top of the ground and I was a bit worried about the wet track today.

"On a good track I thought she was a certainty."

Birchley said Paprika suffered a case of heart arrhythmia during a Melbourne campaign and also a torn cartilage incurred in her Magic Millions defeat.

"I don't think she's really scratched the surface yet and she might surprise a few people how good she really is," he said.

"On ability she's easily the best horse I've had."

Birchley said Paprika would start next in the Magic Millions Sprint (1000m) on January 15.

Favourite Burdekin Blues ($2) ran a game race on the heavy track to finish fifth and his jockey Shane Scriven praised the performance.

"Too much weight and too much pressure on a heavy track," Scriven said.

"He tried his heart out and it was a great effort."