Flora Of Bermuda Blossoms In Gr.3 Summer Stakes At York
On just his third ride back after a lengthy injury layoff, jockey P JMcDonald produced a power-packed finish to get the Andrew Balding-trained three-year-old Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) home in front in the Gr.3 Summer Stakes at York. Twelve fillies and mares went to post for this 6f Group contest. A disjointed start saw the pre-race favourite Unequal Love squeezed up and immediately on the back foot, while Silent Words was fired up by first-time blinkers and was soon setting blistering fractions. Her lead was reduced as they came down to the final quarter-mile and Adaay In Devon was in pole position to take advantage, though virtually all of the field still held some sort of chance. Flora Of Bermuda was repeatedly forced to wait for racing room, but spied a gap just over a furlong out and made rapid headway with a blistering turn of foot to put her challenge into contention. Unequal Love, Great Generation and Prime Art were also vying for the lead, but Flora Of Bermuda found another extra gear inside the final half a furlong and prevailed by three quarters of a length. Adaay In Devon held on gamely for second ahead of Unequal Love, who did well to get so close in the circumstances.
Flora Of Bermuda is a graduate of the Goffs November Foal Sale and Arqana August Yearling Sale, where she was sold after being consigned by Stauffenberg Bloodstock to Longways Stables who re-offered the daughter of Dark Angel at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale where she realised £340,000, Flora Of Bermuda opened her account in a valuable conditions race at Glorious Goodwood last summer, having earlier finished sixth in the Gr.2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Also second in the Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes later on last season, she signalled that a step up to 6f might be needed when a fast-finishing second to Adaay In Devon in the Listed Scurry Stakes at Sandown last month.
Owned by Bermuda Racing Limited and named after Olympic gold medal-winning Bermudian triathlete Flora Duffy,Flora Of Bermuda holds upcoming entries in the Gr.2 King George Stakes and Gr.1 Nunthorpe Stakes. She was bred by Francisco Bernal, she is one of four winners out of the winning Cadeaux Genereux mare Dubai Power, making her a half-sister to the Listed-placed winner Power Of Light. The last-named is the dam of the Gr.2 May Hill Stakes winner and Gr.1 Fillies’ Mile second Powerful Breeze.
