By Tom Frary
While Newmarket's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. was stripped of an important runner in the certain favourite Relief Rally (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), whose dirty scope ruled her out of action on the eve of the race, there can be few complaints that Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio–Too Precious {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) was not ultimately a worthy winner as she again delivered her potent blend of professionalism and class on Saturday. Surprisingly as big as 9-2 as the joint-second favourite given her exemplary record so far, the Donnacha O'Brien trainee who races for Steven Weston, Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing 2020 LLC and Reeves Racing was straight on to the case of Ballydoyle's leader Cherry Blossom (Ire) (No Nay Never) and as early as halfway it was clear she was the one to beat.
Edging ahead a furlong out, the G3 Albany S. and G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. winner, G1 Phoenix S. runner-up and G1 Moyglare Stud S. third gave generously to Oisin Murphy to put some space between her an the blanket in behind with 1 1/2 lengths the winning margin to another Aidan O'Brien trainee in Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never). There was a head back to the G3 Princess Margaret S. scorer and G1 Prix Morny fourth Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in third, giving the form the desired solidity.
“That is the first time she has had proper quick ground since Ascot and she seems to be a lot better on it back to six,” Donnacha said. “She is a very good filly. I think she is fine at seven, but I think ground is important to her as she seems to be a lot better on better ground as she travels and quickens. She hit the line strong and the plan is to go to the Breeders' Cup and the mile. We think there is every chance she will get that as well.”
Porta Fortuna 💪
Royal Ascot winner Porta Fortuna relishes the return to quicker ground as she stays on strongly under @oismurphy to land the G1 @JuddmonteFarms Cheveley Park Stakes.
That's three Group-race wins as a juvenile for Donnacha O'Brien's daughter of Caravaggio 🏇 pic.twitter.com/dELDcA5O1a
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 30, 2023
“Her performance in the Albany was probably one of the best performances of any filly and then she has probably run a little bit below par on slow ground on her last two runs and that is why she was a bit bigger in the betting, but thankfully she came back to her form today. She is very uncomplicated and very easy to train and usually the good ones are. She is owned by an American syndicate and the plan was to go to the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year if that was how it turned out so that is what we will do.”
“There is a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and the 1000 Guineas, but I suppose we would start her off in a trial over seven and make a decision then whether we go sprinting or go for the Guineas.”
Charlie Johnston said of Sacred Angel, “It was a very good run. I thought coming into it if she finished in the first three we would be very happy. The only two that achieved more than us on the form book were Relief Rally and Porta Fortuna and one of those wasn't here. To finish a very close third behind the Albany winner stacks up as very good two-year-old form.”
“She breaks phenomenally fast and just as Ryan wanted to go forward on his filly that lit her up for half a furlong and she was maybe just over-racing and that is probably what has cost her second in the last couple of strides. After Deauville I was certain she will be trained for a Guineas next spring. The speed she showed today might make you think twice about that, but the Guineas is the be-all-and-end-all for three-year-old fillies at that time of year and if you need to re-route later on then so be it.”
Pedigree Notes
The second Cheveley Park winner for Caravaggio, Porta Fortuna is the first foal out of Too Precious who is a full-sister to the G2 P.J. O'Shea S. winner and G1 Australian Cup and G1 Doomben Cup runner-up Numerian (Ire) and the G3 Prix Francois Boutin-placed Montesilvano (Ire). The third dam Kantikoy (GB) (Alzao) is kin to the G3 St Simon S. scorer Kithanga (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), in turn the dam of the G1 St Leger-winning sire Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells) who was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. His half-sister Koora (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) emulated her dam's success in the St Simon before producing the G2 Queen's Vase S. winner Kemari (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Also related to the Derby and Irish Derby hero and prolific sire Kahyasi (Ire) and the G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Key Change (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), Too Precious's yearling filly by Ten Sovereigns (Ire) sells on Tuesday at the Tatts Book 1 Sale. She also has a filly foal by Sottsass (Fr).
Saturday, Newmaket, Britain
JUDDMONTE CHEVELEY PARK S.-G1, £275,000, Newmarket, 9-30, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.66, g/f.
1–PORTA FORTUNA (IRE), 128, f, 2, 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
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Medallion, S Weston, B Fowler & Reeves Thoroughbreds; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Oisin Murphy. £155,953. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Ire, 6-4-1-1, $408,564. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pearls And Rubies, 128, f, 2, No Nay Never–Diamondsandrubies (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs Richard Henry & Mrs John Magnier; B-Premier Bloodstock (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £59,125.
3–Sacred Angel (Ire), 128, f, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Sacred Aspect (Ire) (SW-Ire), by Haatef. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (£52,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Johnston. £29,590.
Margins: 1HF, HD, 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 33.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Cherry Blossom (Ire), Persian Dreamer, Jabaara (Ire), Soprano (Ire), Symbology (GB), Jasna's Secret (Fr), She's Quality (Ire), Shuangxi (Ire). Scratched: Juniper Berries (GB), Relief Rally (Ire).
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