By Sean Cronin
Donnacha O'Brien trainee and G1 1000 Guineas second Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio–Too Precious {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who won the G3 Albany Stakes on this day last year, doubled her elite-level tally when emerging best in a stellar renewal of Friday's G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Last term's G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine raced in a handy third after an alert getaway and slipstreamed Opera Singer (Justify) from halfway as Juddmonte's Skellet (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) set the tone up front. Shaken up when angled to the outer for her bid approaching the final furlong, she engaged Opera Singer soon after and, inching ahead with 100 yards remaining, was driven out to deny that rival by a length. 1000 Guineas third and 15-8 favourite Ramatuelle (Justify) threatened inside the final quarter-mile and ran on to finish 1 1/2 lengths adrift in third, reversing form with Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who was 1 1/4 lengths away in fourth.
“Porta Fortuna is so uncomplicated and Tom [Marquand] gave her a lovely ride,” the winning trainer said. “I was happy the whole way and everything went to plan. It's not too often you can say that, so I'm delighted. She has never missed a beat all along and she hasn't got the credit she deserves. She had two runs before Royal Ascot last year and has literally never missed a race since. She's incredibly sound and incredibly tough and it is a testament to all the team at home. Newmarket is tough. There are a few ridges, they go a hard gallop and there are no hiding places. I think a mile is probably her maximum because she's got so much speed. On a turning track like this, Tom was able to sit on her and use that turn of foot that she has. Races like the [G1] Falmouth might be in the plan. The owners are an American group so I'd say an end-of-year plan would be the Breeders' Cup.”
Tom Marquand was in good form after registering his sixth winner at the Royal meeting and added, “Porta Fortuna is such a cool customer and made it extremely easy. She had that near miss in the [1000] Guineas and didn't really show much of a turn of foot that day. She looked like a grinder, but on this flatter surface and with something to aim at, she was electric from the two [furlong pole]. These rides are hard enough to come by, let alone to keep them, and I'm very fortunate to be on board her today. Donnacha and the team's family are woven into racing history, but they are a young team, in reality, so to be on one for them is fantastic. I think she is a bit underrated and it's an amazing training performance from Donnacha to bring a filly to back-to-back Royal Ascots and get her head in front both times so spectacularly. She's a remarkable filly.”
Medallion Racing's Phillip Shelton was fulsome is his praise for the winner and commented, “It's just unbelievable, all the credit goes to Donnacha and his team. Porta Fortuna ran a ton as a 2-year-old, showed up every time, and ran huge in the Guineas. She loves it here, we love it here and it is an unbelievable experience. I think she's such a kind filly, she'll just relax and you can do whatever you want. When it comes time she just lays it down on the line for you and that's all you can ever ask. She is the best we've got and I wish I had a barnful of horses like her, but they're hard to come by.”
It was a positive result for Aidan O'Brien, despite the defeat of Opera Singer, and he played the role of proud father in the immediate aftermath. “I am so delighted for Donnacha, he has done an incredible job with the filly,” he beamed. Reflecting on the performance of the runner-up, he added, “We are delighted with Opera Singer. She ran a great race and Ryan [Moore] was over the moon with her. She wouldn't mind a little more juice in the ground and she would be very happy to go up in trip as well. She'll love going a mile-and-a-quarter. When Ryan got off her in Longchamp [after the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac] last year, he said, 'this is your Arc filly for this year'. When she moves up in trip, she's going to be really lovely.”
Ramatuelle remains on her quest for that elusive first Group 1 and hit the board for the third time in as many starts at the highest grade. “She relaxed brilliantly and she was asleep in behind them,” said rider Oisin Murphy. “We had planned to follow Maxime [Guyon aboard Rouhiya]. The pace wasn't that hot, but we didn't go very steady either. Round the turn, I thought that she would come alive and she did. She gave me a kick, but the last she had no more in the last half-furlong. A stiff mile here was a proper test for her.”
Pedigree Notes
Porta Fortuna is the first of three reported foals produced by multiple winner Too Precious (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), herself a full-sister to multiple Group 2 winner and G1 Australian Cup runner-up Numerian (Ire) and G3 Prix Francois Boutin third Montesilvano (Ire). The January-foaled bay, who hails from the family of G1 St Leger-winning sire Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells), is a half-sister to the once-raced 2-year-old filly Sorella Carina (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Sottsass (Fr).
Porta Fortuna does it again at Royal @Ascot and lands the Coronation Stakes! pic.twitter.com/wcCnITvFMY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2024
Friday, Ascot, Britain
CORONATION S.-G1, £650,000, Ascot, 6-21, 3yo, f, 7f 213yT, 1:40.48, g/f.
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, Steve Weston, Barry Fowler & Reeves Thoroughbreds; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Tom Marquand. £368,615. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Ire, GISP-US, 9-5-3-1, $1,186,398. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Opera Singer, 128, f, 3, Justify–Liscanna (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. O-M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg; B-Mrs E Stockwell (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £139,750.
3–Ramatuelle, 128, f, 3, Justify–Raven's Lady (GB), by Raven's Pass. (€100,000 Ylg '22 ARAUG). O-Infinity 9 Horses/C W Knok; B-Yeguada Centurion SL (KY); T-Christopher Head. £69,940.
Margins: 1, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 3.33, 1.88.
Also Ran: Elmalka (GB), See The Fire (GB), Folgaria (Ire), Skellet (Ire), Content (Ire), Rouhiya (Fr). Scratched: Devoted Queen (GB).
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