By Tom Frary
Proving herself the complete racing machine on Saturday, Medallion Racing, Steve Weston, Barry Fowler and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio–Too Precious {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) added Leopardstown's G1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes to her already enviable top-level tally with the minimum of fuss. Coming of age this summer with wins in the G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Falmouth Stakes, the pride and joy of Donnacha O'Brien's stable who had also captured last year's G1 Cheveley Park Stakes was a touch free and fresh in the hands of Tom Marquand behind the early pace.
Dispelling any idea of a contest with her superior acceleration between the two and the one, the 5-4 favourite took command there before appearing to stargaze in front en route to a length defeat of Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in this qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was third, half a length away in third.
“She's electric,” Marquand said. “She's the best filly in Europe at this distance and it's a joy to be aboard her. She killed the race in three strides and she never gives you a moment's worry–every run seems to go faultlessly, as she's so easy to ride and is an absolute star. All her owners are here, so it's fantastic.”
Only third on this weekend in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, Porta Fortuna seemed to turn a corner after that reversal despite having already won the G3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and it is fair to say she has never looked back. Narrowly denied in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf following her Cheveley Park success, she may have been a touch rusty when again second on her return in the G1 1,000 Guineas but her subsequent three demonstrations at Royal Ascot, Newmarket's July Festival and here show she is not the finished article.
“She's an incredible filly,” Donnacha O'Brien said. “She shows up every day. It's a huge honour to train her and I'm lucky to have her. It's a huge honour to have the filly and she's very special. We'll take her home and see how she is but all things being well, we'll be going to Del Mar. She'll get an easy week or two. I'll have to confirm with the owners, but we had it in our heads that if she won here she'd skip Newmarket and we'd prep her for America.”
Fallen Angel's trainer Karl Burke said of the runner-up, who was coming back to Ireland off an absence since her G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas success, “She had a bit of time off after the Irish Guineas and didn't have a saddle on her for four or six weeks, so to come and put up a performance like that against a very good filly, we're very happy. I think she will step up in trip and the [G1] Prix de l'Opera in three or four weeks' time will be the next step and that will tell us then for next year.”
“I'm convinced and Danny Tudhope always thought she would get 10 furlongs,” he added. “James Doyle has ridden her for the first time and thought the same, so I think that will be the next race. She wasn't having much of a blow, but she will definitely sharpen and a little bit of juice in the ground, which hopefully we will get in France, will suit her well.”
Pedigree Notes
Porta Fortuna's is the first foal out of Too Precious, a full-sister to the triple Australian group 2 winner and G1 Australian Cup runner-up Numerian (Ire) and the G3 Prix Francois Boutin-placed Montesilvano (Ire). This is the Fittocks Stud family of the G1 St Leger hero Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells), the Derby and Irish Derby-winning sire Kahyasi (Ire) and the G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Key Change (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). Too Precious's once-raced 2-year-old filly Sorella Carina (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) represents the same connections, having cost 400,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1, while she also has a yearling filly by Sottsass (Fr).
All class!
PORTA FORTUNA completes a Group One hat-trick in the @coolmoreamerica 'Justify' Matron Stakes 🏆🏆🏆
What a superstar she is 😍#itallcomesdowntothis | @LeopardstownRC | @TomMarquand pic.twitter.com/ZZdHCWozhW
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 14, 2024
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
COOLMORE AMERICA “JUSTIFY” MATRON STAKES-G1, €400,000, Leopardstown, 9-14, 3yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:40.67, gd.
1–PORTA FORTUNA (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Caravaggio
1st Dam: Too Precious (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
2nd Dam: Delicate Charm (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
3rd Dam: Kantikoy (GB), by Alzao
O-Medallion Racing 2020 LLC & Steven I Weston & Barry Fowler & Reeves Thoroughbred; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Tom Marquand. €240,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Eng & GISP-US, 11-7-3-1, $1,645,906. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Fallen Angel (GB), 128, f, 3, Too Darn Hot (GB)–Agnes Stewart (Ire), by Lawman (Fr). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Branton Court Stud LLP (GB); T-Karl Burke. €80,000.
3–Soprano (Ire), 128, f, 3, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Lealas Daughter (Ire), by Excelebration (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€45,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; 100,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Da Vinci); B-Empire Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-George Boughey. €40,000.
Margins: 1, HF, SHD. Odds: 1.25, 2.50, 14.00.
Also Ran: Ylang Ylang (GB), Vespertilio (Fr), Mammas Girl (GB), Wendla (GB), Jancis (Ire), Magical Sunset (Ire).
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