Flora Of Bermuda was agonisingly beaten on her first start of the season at York on Wednesday.

The four-year-old, owned by Bermuda Racing and named after Flora Duffy, was beaten just a neck by Inisherin in the Group Two Duke of York Stakes at odds of 16-1, with the defeat adding to a string of near misses in top company.

Ridden with restraint in the six-furlong race by PJ McDonald, Flora of Bermuda was travelling ominously well towards the rear of the field but was unable to find a gap with a couple of furlongs to go. Forced to wait longer than ideal, she burst through with under a furlong to go but was eventually beaten by the narrowest of margins.

In their analysis of the race, the Racing Post outlined the luckless nature of her run.

“Flora Of Bermuda can put this down as another ‘what might have been’, unable to get out at a critical stage, her bid flattening out late having had to use plenty up,” its race report read

“It still rates a cracking return and she'll be a force again in all the best sprints.”

Simon Scupham, founder of Bermuda Racing, was delighted with the run despite missing out on victory.

“Flora showed the heart of a lioness out there, not to mention an impressive turn of foot,” Scupham said.

“She only ran out of puff in the final few, albeit, important yards. We were absolutely thrilled with her performance, especially given the lack of luck in running and the fact that she was in need of the outing. There’s no doubt some big days lie ahead for this very special four-year-old filly.

“We were all shaking our heads when she drifted to 16-1 before the off and Flora must have felt the same, judging by the look she gave us while being unsaddled.

“If only she could talk, we’re pretty sure we would have heard her mutter ‘It’s about time I got some respect’, and who are we to argue with that?”

Flora Of Bermuda could earn that respect on one of the biggest stages of all next month with a trip to Royal Ascot for the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the agenda.

That race regularly attracts the best equine sprinters from around the world, with horses from the United States, Australia, France and Hong Kong travelling to England to chase a share of the £1 million ($1.32m) in prize money.