'She's a smart filly' - classy Porta Fortuna fuels Breeders' Cup and 1,000 Guineas ambitions with Cheveley Park victory

Five years after riding Fairyland to victory in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, Donnacha O'Brien returned to the Rowley Mile to win the Group 1 contest as a trainer with Porta Fortuna.

The well-backed 9-2 chance was a standout in the preliminaries and also in the race when she bounded out of the Dip under Oisin Murphy to score tidily from Pearls And Rubies and Sacred Angel. 

Although the nature of the race changed when long-time favourite Relief Rally was ruled out the previous day, there was no fluke about the return to winning ways by Porta Fortuna, who had fancied French raider Jasna's Secret and local fancy Soprano well in arrears. 

O'Brien is targeting the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on November 3 for his second British Group 1 winner and she was given an opening quote of 12-1 by Paddy Power.

The trainer said: "She looked fantastic, which is all down to the boys at home. She's a smart filly and that's the first time she's had proper quick ground since winning at Royal Ascot. I think she's fine over seven furlongs but ground is important to her as she travels and quickens on it. She hit the line strongly, which is good as the plan is to go to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf over a mile. There's every chance she'll get that trip over there."

Meditate went from finishing second in last year's Cheveley Park to success in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

O'Brien said: "We've had the Breeders' Cup on our agenda for some time as she's owned by an American syndicate, so it has always been the plan to go to Santa Anita. We'll train her for the 1,000 Guineas next year and run her in a trial over seven furlongs. Then we'll make a decision whether she goes sprinting or goes a mile."

Winning connections with Porta FortunaCredit: Mark Cranham

He has no doubt about Porta Fortuna's quality. "Her performance when winning the Albany was one of the best by a filly all year," he said.

"She'd run a bit below par when beaten on slow ground the last twice, which is why she was bigger in the betting this time. She's uncomplicated and easy to train, which many of the good ones are, and we saw her in her best light today."

Murphy, winning the Cheveley Park for the second time after scoring on Alcohol Free in 2020, said: "She's a little star. That was a great performance but it was no surprise as she's run good races on ground she didn't like the last twice. 

"She travelled well and after she got a bit disorganised in the Dip she ran on well and could well get further. Years ago, Donnacha and myself were training to be jockeys at Ballydoyle together, so it's great it's come full circle."

Aidan O'Brien's second string Pearls And Rubies stayed on for second, a length and a half behind the winner.

Rider Pat Dobbs said: "She hung when I let her down but came home well. She's a big filly and sometimes when you travel well, you let them down and they don't quicken, but when they hit the rising ground they pick up for you. I think six furlongs is right for her and I'd say she's a good filly."  

Charlie Johnston's Sacred Angel was third under James Doyle. "She ran a cracker," the jockey said. "She wasn't a natural in and out of the Dip, where she got a bit lost, but it was a super run."  

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Pearls And Rubies and fourth-placed Cherry Blossom, said: "Pearls And Rubies finished off really well and I was impressed with her. Cherry Blossom only ran last week, so she ran another very good race, but I'm delighted for Donnacha with the winner."

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