Flora Of Bermuda set for new task at Goodwood

Flora Of Bermuda is poised to test the waters over seven furlongs at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, as part of a growing squad Wathnan Racing are assembling for one of the season’s marquee fixtures.

Andrew Balding’s five-year-old bounced back from a rare blip at Royal Ascot to notch her second victory of the season in York’s Summer Stakes recently.

It was a win which sets Flora Of Bermuda up nicely for stepping up in distance on the Sussex Downs, a venue where she won on her only previous visit to the track as a two-year-old.

She will now contest either the Group Two HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes on the opening day of the meeting, or run against her own sex in the Group Three Rolls-Royce Oak Tree Stakes a day later.

“We’ll look at two options with her at Goodwood and she’ll run in either the Oak Tree or the Lennox,” said Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown.

“She would obviously have a penalty in the Oak Tree which I don’t think will be a problem but we’ll take a look at both races nearer the time and see which one she will have the best chance in.

“We’ve really fancied having a go at seven furlongs with her and I know her best form is over six furlongs but I think a quick seven at Goodwood could be right up her alley.

“James (Doyle) will be able to take his time on her a bit more and I think it’s an interesting angle. She’s been great for us and she’ll go to Goodwood with a big chance I’m sure, whichever race she goes for.”

Flora Of Bermuda is one of a host of the owners’ leading lights heading to the Qatar-backed event, which is always a key week in the Wathnan calendar after Royal Ascot.

And although Royal Ascot winner Lost Boys will be a notable absentee, the Emir of Qatar’s racing entity will still be strongly represented throughout the five days, with the likes of Night Raider seeking a third victory of the campaign in the King George Qatar Stakes and French Master a possible for the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

Other key names set to don the old gold and peacock blue during the meeting include Richard Hannon’s dual Royal Ascot winner Haatem, Ralph Beckett’s Oaks forth A La Prochaine in the Lillie Langtry and William Haggas’ Realign in the Coral Stewards’ Cup.

Brown added: “There’s always some big Saturday’s after Ascot before Goodwood like this one coming up at the Curragh but we’re very much focused on Goodwood now, it’s a meeting sponsored by Qatar and we’ll be taking a good team there hopefully.”