Another G1 for Porta Fortuna
Porta Fortuna stamped herself as the best three-year-old filly in Europe with an outstanding display to win the G1 Matron Stakes for Medallion Racing, Steve Weston, Barry Fowler and Reeves Thoroughbreds and trainer Donnacha O’Brien at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Sent off the 5/4 favourite, the daughter of Caravaggio was always in touch under Tom Marquand and having made her challenge a furlong out, only had to be pushed out to score by a length.
Porta Fortuna was a private purchase by Avenue Bloodstock in conjunction with Philip Shelton of Medallion Racing following her debut success as a two-year-old.
Since then, she has won the G1 Falmouth Stakes, G1 Coronation Stakes, G1 Cheveley Park Stakes, G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes and G3 Albany Stakes in addition to the Matron. She has also run placed in the G1 1,000 Guineas, G1 Phoenix Stakes, G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
“It’s a huge honour and pleasure to train her,” said Donnacha O’Brien. “I’m lucky to have her. She’s always been good, but you can never dream they’d develop into something like that. She’s very special.
“She pings the gates, you can put her where you want her and she relaxes. When you can do that, you’re never going to have too much worry as you’re always going to be in a good position. Everything went to plan and Tom [Marquand] gave her a lovely ride. It’s horrendous anxiety during the whole race but none more than usual!”
He added: “I don’t think we’ll go to the Sun Chariot, although I’ll have to confirm with the owners. She’ll get an easy week or two now and we had it in our heads that if she won here she would skip Newmarket and we’ll prep her for America.
“All her owners are American and the original plan was to buy her and run her a few times in Europe before going to America.”
Porta Fortuna was cut into 4/1 for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar.
Porta Fortuna was bred by Whisperview Trading out of Too Precious, a winning Holy Roman Emperor sister to G1 Doomben Cup runner-up Numerian.
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