A racehorse carrying the name of Bermuda's most celebrated triathlete has added another strong result to her record, finishing second in a prestigious contest at Newmarket Racecourse in England.

Flora of Bermuda, the five-year-old mare named in honour of Olympic gold medallist Dame Flora Duffy, was narrowly beaten in the Group Two Challenge Stakes over seven furlongs. She went down by just a neck to Never So Brave after a closely fought finish in Suffolk.

Trained by Andrew Balding and partnered by jockey James Doyle, the mare went to post as the 85/40 favourite, reflecting the confidence of punters in her ability at this level. Despite the narrow defeat, the performance underlined her consistency among top-class sprinter-milers on the British racing circuit.

The horse's name has kept Bermuda in the headlines of the international sporting pages, much as Dame Flora herself did during her glittering triathlon career, which included Olympic gold in Tokyo and multiple world championship titles. Racing followers on the island have taken a keen interest in the mare's progress, with each appearance drawing attention back to the Bermudian sporting icon she honours. Connections of Flora of Bermuda are expected to map out further targets for the mare as the season progresses, and her Newmarket effort suggests she remains capable of landing a major prize before her racing days are done.