By Tom Frary
As admirably straightforward as she is classy, Steven Weston, Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing and Reeves Racing's G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio–Too Precious {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) took her latest task in her stride when dominating Friday's G1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket. Always travelling comfortably tracking the pace under Ryan Moore, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained 10-11 favourite was left in front approaching the two-furlong pole and despite drifting right when in the clear was able to open up a 3 3/4-length winning margin over Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who finished a head clear of the dead-heating Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}).
“She seemed very impressive and Ryan said she has such a good temperament–she pings the gates and then she relaxes,” the winning trainer said. “You can make the running with her or sit out the back, as she is so easy. She probably wants quick ground, but has decent form on slower ground anywhere from six furlongs to a mile–she is just so uncomplicated.”
“She had been working well since Royal Ascot and everything went very smooth. The Coronation looked like a strong race, as all the best 3-year-olds were there and it's nice to now see her go and prove herself against older horses,” he added. “Coming here today, we thought we'd probably give her a break before coming back for the Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend in September. We could then look at going to the Sun Chariot before going to America.”
“It would probably be the [Breeders' Cup] Mile against the boys, which will be tough but all of her owners are American, so it would be nice for them, it's always been the plan. They are a fantastic group of owners and so easy to train for –I am delighted for them and deeply privileged to train for them. This filly means a lot. To have one like her who is so easy to train and always brings her A game is a dream.”
Things may not have been ideal for Porta Fortuna here, being stranded without cover from the outset and not able to enjoy having a target for longer as she had at Royal Ascot, so this was a clear case of the winner being in different territory. “She's a great filly and she has always shown plenty, she's an Albany winner and a Cheveley Park winner who ran very well at the Breeders' Cup after that,” Moore said. “She ran well in the Guineas and then went and won the Coronation this year, she's never run a bad race.”
“She's straightforward, I was fast out of the gates, we weren't going mad but it was the perfect race really. She's very uncomplicated and when you couple that with her ability, it makes things easy. The way she's handled her contemporaries and the older fillies here, she'd have no trouble mixing with the boys.”
Jabaara proved more than capable at this level, having won two listed prizes in the manner of a filly going places and trainer Roger Varian said of her, “She ran great, I'm thrilled with her. We sort of rolled the dice, she'd won two listed races and I just thought this race always has a small field and if we could be third, it would be worth running. She's ended up second, so we're delighted. She got the mile, but I think she's better at seven–over seven, she has a high cruising speed and her guts and determination ground out second. As long as she comes out of it okay, we'd love to go to Goodwood for the [G3] Oak Tree and then see after that, as she's had a busy summer. Maybe the Foret.”
🚀 Different class
Porta Fortuna runs out a smart winner of the G1 @Tattersalls1766 Falmouth Stakes under Ryan Moore @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/PE2eTOq7g7
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 12, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Porta Fortuna is the first foal out of Too Precious, a full-sister to the G2 P.J. O'Shea Stakes 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 Stakes scorer Kithanga (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), in turn the dam of Sadler's Wells' G1 St Leger-winning sire Milan (GB). 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 once-raced 2-year-old filly Sorella Carina (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) was a 400,000gns purchase by Avenue Bloodstock, Medallion and M V Magnier at the Tattersalls Book 1 Sale. She also has a yearling filly by Sottsass (Fr).
Friday, Newmarket, Britain
TATTERSALLS FALMOUTH STAKES-G1, £275,000, Newmarket, 7-12, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:37.68, gd.
1–PORTA FORTUNA (IRE), 126, 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/S Weston/B Fowler/Reeves T'Bs; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £155,953. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Ire, GISP-US, 10-6-3-1, $1,386,120. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jabaara (Ire), 126, f, 3, Exceed And Excel (Aus)–Baheeja (GB), by Dubawi (Ire).
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £59,125.
(DH) 3–A Lilac Rolla (Ire), 126, f, 3, Harry Angel (Ire)–Mejala (Ire), by Red Ransom. (€40,000 Ylg '22 TATIRY). O-Mutual Admiration Society Partnership; B-John Cullinan (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. £29,590.
(DH) 3–Rogue Millennium (Ire), 135, m, 5, Dubawi (Ire)–Hawaafez (GB) (GSW-Eng, $111,512), by Nayef. (35,000gns 2yo '21 TATMA; 1,650,000gns HRA '23 TATMA). O-Mr S Heider; B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. £29,590.
Margins: 3 3/4, HD, DHT. Odds: 0.91, 18.00, 4.50 & 9.00.
Also Ran: Sirona (Ger), Magical Sunset (Ire), Running Lion (GB).
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