Created: 07/23/2021 7:59 AM
Spirit Of Bermuda riders were forced to go back to the drawing board after abandoning plans to race in the south of France this week.
The three-year-old filly, shortly before a stormy victory in Newmarket, was supposed to climb the mile distance on Sunday at the Le Teste-De-Buch racecourse in Gironde, about 65 kilometers southwest of Bordeaux.
Spirit Of Bermuda, seen victorious here in Newmarket on July 10, is back in action at Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday after a planned trip to France for a publicly traded race was canceled (Photo by John Hoy / Hoycubed Photography)
However, as France moves up to the Amber Plus list due to the spread of the beta variant of Covid-19 there, the connections have decided not to leave the mainland while looking for solid ground elsewhere.
The prestigious Glorious Goodwood Meeting – now known as the Qatar Goodwood Festival for sponsorship reasons – was originally considered a preferred destination after Spirit won the Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa Fillies’ handicap by three-quarters of the length on July 10 and is again the target of Choice.
Simon Scupham, the director of the owner Bermuda Racing Ltd, said, “We’re watching three different races for them at Glorious Goodwood. On Tuesday there is a handicap for the mares’ mile (0-95), on Saturday the handicap for Qatar, which is 0-105 over seven stages. Both are only fillies from 3 years of age, so she gets a certain weight allowance.
“Then there is the oak on Friday, but that can be difficult as it is usually above 100 in the ratings.”
With the Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes a step up in class as a Group 3 race, the listed company in France – just one step down – was the option originally sought.
“For her to come in at 88 – she only put on two pounds for that last win which was quite surprising – that might be a small question. And running in it, too, could be a bit too progressive for her at this point. “
On the opening day of the festival, she was declared among 21 runners for the Unibet Fillies’ handicap over one mile for horses from 3 years of age. The winner is awarded 13,085 yen, with the bottom being good to firm in some places.
The Qatar Goodwood Festival runs Tuesday through July 31st.