'She's a very good filly' - Porta Fortuna shows her class with comfortable Falmouth win under Ryan Moore

Falmouth Stakes are not always as straightforward as Porta Fortuna made this year’s look.

Last year, Nashwa dropped back in trip from a mile and a quarter to sprint through torrential rain to secure a surprise success from Remarquee and the even-money favourite Via Sistina.

The year before that, Inspiral was the scarcely believable price of 1-7 to beat four apparently overmatched opponents, only to come off second best to Prosperous Voyage.

And in 2013, Pythagoras, or his theorem at least, was rolled out by the connections of the defeated odds-on favourite Sky Lantern in a failed bid to overturn the result after she had been carried a significant way across the course by winner Elusive Kate.

But that isn’t the way with Porta Fortuna. Before the race there was a question of whether the ground might be against her after significant rainfall this week. Nope, she would handle that just fine.

How about her being left in front earlier than desired because the lead horse had run out of puff? Piece of cake, she just brushed it off and took up the running herself.

Try as you might to make things complicated for Porta Fortuna, she merely responds by making them as uncomplicated as possible. That, along with no small amount of ability, is why she has won six of her ten races and been placed in the four others, won three Group 1s and twice been successful at Royal Ascot. Rock solid.

“She’s a very good filly,” said Ryan Moore, who was riding her for the first time. “She’s always shown plenty. She’s never run a bad race and she handles most things that are thrown her way.

“Today she was fast out of the gate and Running Lion didn’t take me that far, but she was in command throughout the race; she’s a very straightforward filly.”

Porta Fortuna is in a class of her own in the Falmouth Stakes at NewmarketCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

A straightforward filly with a straightforward agenda, it seems, with trainer Donnacha O’Brien aiming her at the Coolmore Matron Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival, the Virgin Bet Sun Chariot Stakes, then the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar.

The latter contest is one O’Brien, who turns 26 this month, is particularly keen for the filly to shine in with her being owned by US connections in Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing and Steve and Debbie Weston of Parkland Thoroughbreds.

“She’d been working very well coming into the race and everything went very smoothly,” O’Brien said. “Having a short-priced favourite in a Group 1 is always pressure, so it’s a relief she’s gone and done it.

“All of her owners are American and I’m delighted for them. We have a lot of owners in the yard who are American, mainly through Medallion Racing, so it’s great to have the chance to go over there and show off our filly.”

Porta Fortuna finished three and three-quarter lengths clear of Jabaara, who stepped up considerably on two Listed wins at Carlisle and Musselburgh to claim second.

Roger Varian, who trains the filly for Sheikh Ahmed, said: “She's run a massive race to be second to a good filly. We rolled the dice a bit and it's come off, and to be Group 1-placed after winning two Listed races is very pleasing.

“If she comes out of this in good shape we'd like to run her in the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.”

Jabaara was surrounded by Irish-trained horses at the finish with A Lilac Rolla and Rogue Millennium finishing in a dead-heat for third, a head behind the second.

A Lilac Rolla’s trainer Paddy Twomey said: “She’s run another good race and we'll give her a break now with a view to something like the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown or the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.”

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