Another Top-Class Day for Flora Of Bermuda

A grand finale to the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Series, the Group 1 British Champions Sprint Stakes (6f) at Ascot is a prestigious race boasting a £500,000 prize pot and counts the following sprint Champions (to name a few…) as notable previous winners - Muhaarar (won it as a 3yo colt), The Tin Man (won it as a 4yo gelding) and Gordon Lord Byron (won it as a 6yo gelding).

This makes it even more special to think Flora Of Bermuda has already achieved on this stage at the age of three and in what was a very close finish, placed third - the best of the fillies of her age!

It was a highly competitive renewal of this Group 1 Sprint feature and was certainly a thrilling watch. Drawn 20 of 20, Flora Of Bermuda travelled strongly on the soft ground under Oisin Murphy, tracking the three-year-old colt Kind Of Blue who on this day was able to fend of Flora’s closing run and was the eventual winner by a head to the four-year-old filly Swingalong, and Flora Of Bermuda a neck third. It wasn’t unfamiliar territory for this top three who went to battle at Haydock in the Gr.1 Sprint Cup (Kind Of Blue 2nd, Flora Of Bermuda 5th and Swingalong 7th that day).

Catch the race replay below, along with the unique chance to experience the race from Oisin's viewpoint with this fantastic footage (volume up!):

“The promise of more to come next term as she’s just a 3yo…” - the Racing Post were quick to highlight how positive the horizon is for Flora Of Bermuda and understandably it has Bermuda Racing’s Simon Scupham excited about the future of this top-class daughter of Dark Angel:

“What a special day and what a special filly. Despite being drawn 20 of 20, Flora Of Bermuda came an impressive third in a bunch finish in what is the most prestigious Group One Champion Sprint Stakes. Beaten only a head and a neck in a field that contained the best of the best of European sprinters is some achievement for a filly that is still only three-years-old. The world is her oyster so fasten your seat belts!”

Fasten your seat belts indeed. This is just the beginning of her Group 1 journey and rather interestingly in what was a top-class podium finish for Flora Of Bermuda, her namesake Dame Flora Duffy also put in a breakthrough performance on the same day, finishing third in the T100 Las Vegas! This was just a second attempt over 100km for the Olympic Gold-winning triathlete who was understandably as delighted on the day with her performance as we were with our Flora, reporting to Bermuda's The Royal Gazette - "Obviously, I'm happy with how I executed the race and it's great to be on the podium, these races are super competitive and any time you can get on the podium is great." 

We couldn't agree more Dame Flora!