The G3 Ballylinch Stud 'Priory Belle' 1,000 Guineas Trial S. at Leopardstown on Sunday, April 7, has been identified as a likely starting point for Porta Fortuna (Ire) as she prepares to embark on her three-year-old campaign.
Trained by Donnacha O'Brien, Porta Fortuna proved herself a high-class juvenile in 2023 when her high-profile victories included the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot and G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket. She was last seen filling the runner-up spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
All roads now lead to the G1 Qipco 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday, May 4, for the daughter of Caravaggio, with ground conditions at Leopardstown likely to dictate whether she runs there beforehand.
“She was brilliant for us last season,” O'Brien told Attheraces.com. “When they are so good as two-year-olds, you can never be sure how well they'll train on, but she seems to have wintered particularly well and her recent work has been very good.
“I'd like to run her in the 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, but if the ground is bad, I'll be happy enough to give her a racecourse gallop instead and go straight to the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.”
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