Flowers bloom early in September Flowers Forest (4/1) shed her maiden tag on the third attempt in Navan's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile. Her three-year-old debut run was an encouraging start, but she clearly needed her last run, when she finished fifth, returning from over three months off the track. Wayne Lordan had the daughter of Siyouni positioned behind the pace before asking her to quicken up and seize the initiative two furlongs out. In the silks of John Magnier, the bay filly kept on well to score by a length from Divine Legend (7/2JF). Long-time leader Nautic Star (7/2JF) was a further three-quarters of a length back in third. Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: "She had a lovely run the first day in Cork and ran nice enough in Roscommon where the race didn't really work out for her and she was trapped wide, so we thought she was better than that. "She's a filly that has shown ability at home and this race worked out lovely for her. "Obviously, first box ticked for her, and we will try and get a bit of black-type for her. She might go to the Denny Cordell (Lavarack Stakes, Group 3) at Gowran. I know it is over nine and a half (furlongs) and go from there. If she doesn't get there, on to the Garnet Stakes (Listed Naas). "Obviously, it is a stiff mile here, and it would be an easy nine and a half in Gowran." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
