Porta Fortuna brilliant in Coronation

Twelve months on from her brilliant win in the G3 Albany Stakes, Porta Fortuna was the queen of Royal Ascot once again, with her victory in the G1 Coronation Stakes sealing her place as one of the season’s top 3yo fillies.

Owned by Barry Fowler/Medallion Racing ’20/Steve Weston/Dean Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, for whom she was a private purchase by Avenue Bloodstock in conjunction with Philip Shelton of Medallion Racing, Porta Fortuna has mixed it with the best of company for Donnacha O’Brien since her Albany success.

Pic: Zuzanna Lupa

The daughter of Caravaggio later captured the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket before going down by just half a length when second in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Brought back for the 1,000 Guineas on her seasonal debut at Newmarket, she ran another excellent race to finish a neck second to the winner Elmalka. That filly was again in opposition on Friday but Porta Fortuna turned the tables emphatically; always prominent, she struck for home under Tom Marquand a furlong out, overcoming the leader Opera Singer to win well from that rival by a length with Ramatuelle and Elmalka back in third and fourth.

“She’s so uncomplicated and Tom gave her a lovely ride,” said Donnacha O’Brien. “She relaxes, she quickens, she stays, she tries. She’s a joy of a filly to have. I was happy the whole way, everything went to plan. It’s not too often you can say that. I’m delighted. All along she hasn’t got the credit she deserves. She’s never missed a beat. She’s incredibly sound and incredibly tough.”

He added: “I think a mile is probably her maximum as she’s so classy, she has so much speed. On a turning track like this Tom could have a sit and use that speed. There are races like the Falmouth but the owners are an American group so I’d say the end-of-year plan is to turn up at the Breeders’ Cup.”

Tom Marquand added: “She made it extremely easy. She’s such a cool customer. She had that near-miss in the Guineas, she didn’t really show that much of a turn of foot that day, she looked like a grinder, but on this flatter surface with a nice one to aim at she was electric.”

Porta Fortuna was bred by Whisperview Trading out of Too Precious, a winning Holy Roman Emperor sister to G1 Doomben Cup runner-up Numerian.

Pic Steven Cargill / Racingfotos.com

Also at Ascot, yearling purchase Space Legend ran second in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes. The 150,000gns yearling purchase, who was bred by Sunderland Holdings and sold by Rathbarry Stud, originally raced for Bon Ho prior to changing hands to Wathnan Racing.