Royal Ascot: Porta Fortuna claims Coronation crown

scored at Royal for a second successive year as she gained 1000 Guineas redemption in the Coronation Stakes.

The daughter of Caravaggio got trainer Donnacha O’Brien off the mark at the meeting in the Albany Stakes 12 months ago and was back to do the double this time around.

Sent to Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, she found just Roger Varian’s Rowley Mile heroine Elmalka too good as she picked up a silver medal.

However, she reversed that form in style, always ridden close to the pace set by Skellet and Opera Singer and picking up beautifully when asked by jockey Tom Marquand.

Porta Fortuna edged out Opera Singer, who is trained by O’Brien’s father Aidan, to give her handler family bragging rights.

French raider Ramatuelle was sent off the 15-8 favourite and filled the same position as at Newmarket in third.

O’Brien said: “Porta Fortuna is so uncomplicated. Tom gave her a lovely ride, I was happy the whole way and everything went to plan. It's not too often you can say that so I'm delighted. 

“All along, she hasn't got the credit she deserves. She has never missed a beat. She had two runs before Royal Ascot last year and has literally never missed a race since. She's incredibly sound, incredibly tough. 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 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.” 

Marquand said: “Porta Fortuna made it extremely easy. She is such a cool customer. She had that near miss in the Guineas and didn't really show much of a turn of foot that day, she looked like a grinder, but on this flatter surface, with something to aim at, she was electric from the two. 

"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; 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 and her brain is so good and she is so tactical, and has the ability to improve in what she does as well. 

On His Majesty The King presenting the trophy, Marquand added: “It’s so special. I have great memories if Royal Ascot last year. We all come to Royal Ascot primarily because of the Royal Family’s presence. It came up on my Facebook memories – Hollie and I were here 11 years ago before I’d even ridden in a race, with my family, and we both looked a bit fresher and baby-faced, but this was the dream. It doesn’t get much better.” 

Phillip Shelton of co-owner Medallion Racing said: “It’s just unbelievable. All the credit goes to Donnacha and his team. Porta Fortuna ran a ton as a two-year-old, showed up every time, and ran huge in the Guineas. 

“She loves it here, we love it here – it is an unbelievable experience. I think she’s such a kind filly, she’ll just relax and you can do whatever you want, and 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. I wish I had a barnful of horses like her, but they’re hard to come by.” 

Oisin Murphy said of Ramatuelle: “She relaxed brilliantly. She was asleep in behind them. We had planned to follow Maxime [Guyon on 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 half-furlong, she had no more. A stiff mile here was a proper test [for her].” 

Aidan O’Brien is looking forward to stepping up in distance with Opera Singer after she had to make do with the runner-up spot in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Classic dreams were very much alive for the daughter of Justify after she rounded off a fine juvenile campaign with a sensational victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp, but her three-year-old campaign has so far not gone according to plan.

A spring setback denied the filly an intended trip to Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas and while she did make it back to the track in time to contest the Irish equivalent, her trainer admitted it had been a race against time and he was therefore delighted with her performance in finishing third.

With improvement anticipated, hopes were high that she could get back on the winning trail in Berkshire, but after making her bid for glory from the home turn, she was unable to resist the late surge of Porta Fortuna, trained by O’Brien’s son Donnacha.

“I’m so delighted for Donnacha, he has done an incredible job with his filly, so I’m delighted. It was a great race,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“We are delighted with our filly, she ran a great race. Ryan (Moore) was over the moon with her.

“She wouldn’t mind (softer ground), she would be very happy to go up in trip as well – she’ll love going a mile and a quarter.

“I remember when Ryan got off her in Longchamp last year, he said ‘this is your Arc filly for next year’. When she moves up in trip, she’s going to be really lovely. She’s run a great race today.”

French raider Ramatuelle, who was just a short head behind Porta Fortuna when the pair finished second and third in the Guineas at Newmarket, again picked up the bronze medal as a 15-8 favourite.

Oisin Murphy, who was riding Christopher Head’s filly for the first time, said: “She relaxed brilliantly, she was asleep in behind them. We had planned to follow Maxime (Guyon on 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 half-furlong, she had no more. A stiff mile here was probably a proper test.”