Floribunda (horse)

Floribunda began his racing career in Ireland in spring, winning a maiden race at the Curragh Racecourse by twelve lengths. On his next appearance he set a new track record when winning over five furlongs at Phoenix Park. Predergast sent the colt to England in June for the New Stakes, one of the most important two-year-old races at Royal Ascot. Ridden by the Australian jockey Ron Hutchinson he started the 2/7 favourite and won by eight lengths.[5] His "runaway" win led to him being described as the best two-year-old of the season up to that point.[6]

Floribunda returned to England in August when he was stepped up to six furlongs in the Gimcrack Stakes at York. He sustained an injury in the race and finished third behind Test Case. He did not run again that season.[7]

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Floribunda was tried over seven furlongs in the Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh, but failed to stay the distance and finished unplaced behind Time Greine. Floribunda returned to sprinting at Royal Ascot in June and showed better form, without looking likely to win, when finishing second to Silver Tor in the King's Stand Stakes.[7]

In July Floribunda returned to England for the King George Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse. Despite having sustained three consecutive defeats he was made 4/6 favourite[5] and won decisively from the filly Cynara with the previous season's leading sprinter Bleep-Bleep in third place. Floribunda's best performance came at York in August when he was ridden by Hutchinson in the Nunthorpe Stakes. He won "in brilliant style"[7] by four lengths from Cynara and Silver Tor. According to John Randall, writing in the Racing Post, the performance established Floribunda as "Ireland's greatest sprinter".[8]

It was expected that Floribunda would run in the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp in October and then stay in training as a four-year-old,[7] but he never ran again and was retired to stud.