Flotus team considering Group race options after Ripon success

Crisford-trained filly claimed comfortable Listed triumph.

A choice of Group One and Group Three targets is on the minds of joint trainers Simon and Ed Crisford for their impressive Listed winner Flotus.

The juvenile filly bounced back to form on Monday when she dominated what had looked a competitive field for the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy Stakes – making all to win by four and a half lengths.

That performance immediately attracted the attention of the bookmakers for future targets, as her ante-post odds for this month’s Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket were halved into 8-1.

Ed Crisford was hugely heartened by the performance as Flotus continued her 100 per cent record in partnership with Silvestre De Sousa, who was back on board for the first time since her debut win at Goodwood in May.

Three disappointments followed in Pattern company at Royal Ascot, Newmarket and Newbury.

Crisford said: “Obviously she won extremely well, bounced back to form after her maiden win at Goodwood when we thought she was a very nice filly.

“It had just slightly gone wrong the last few races (before Ripon).

“But Silvestre gave her a very positive ride, and she came right back to form.”

Both the Cheveley Park (September 25) and Ayr’s Firth of Clyde Stakes (September 18), over the same six-furlong trip, are under consideration next.

“I don’t think we’ve got any (definite) plans as of yet,” her joint trainer added.

“We’ll just see how she is in the next few weeks. She’s in the Cheveley Park, (and) she’s in the Firth of Clyde up at Ayr.

“But she’s come out of the race great, and we’re very pleased with her.

“She shortened up in the betting – but the Cheveley Park is a tall order, going up against all the very good fillies.

“So I don’t know where we’re going to go yet.”

Whichever option is taken, Flotus has demonstrated emphatically that she must be taken seriously by all opponents.

“When she won her maiden, we thought she was nice, and that was why we went straight to (Royal) Ascot,” said Crisford.

“She was favourite that day in the Albany, but it just didn’t really go right for her in those races – whether it was the ground, or she was a bit keen at Newmarket (in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes).

“Then over five (furlongs, in Newbury’s St Hugh’s Stakes), she settled better – but I think she had just slightly lost her confidence.

“The way she then did it (at Ripon) was very impressive, but we need to speak to the owners whether we go Group Three or Group One.”

A more definite schedule is in place for another of the Newmarket yard’s very promising juveniles, with Daneh on course for the Group Two Rockfel Stakes this month after she finished a close second to Mise En Scene at Goodwood last weekend.

Crisford said “She ran a really, really good race – I think they were two nice fillies, first and second.

“She’s still learning, running up to a very high level, and she’s come out of it really well.

“We’ll just see how she is the next few weeks, but I think we’ll probably be aiming her at the Rockfel.”

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