'Very special' Porta Fortuna all set for America as she completes a Group 1 hat-trick in the Matron Stakes

She's only entered the autumn of her three-year-old campaign but we are already running out of superlatives to describe Porta Fortuna as she produced another display infused with all the class and resilience that have become the hallmarks of her career in the Group 1 Matron Stakes.

Despite running seven times as a juvenile, the Caravaggio filly has continued to thrive and improve this campaign for trainer Donnacha O'Brien. 

Her season began with a hugely encouraging runner-up effort in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, but she's come on leaps and bounds since, with this being her third Group 1 success on the bounce having taken the Coronation and Falmouth Stakes in similarly swashbuckling fashion.

Having finished behind eventual runner-up Fallen Angel in last season's Moyglare Stud Stakes, the winner reversed that form at Newmarket and reaffirmed her dominance here. 

She seems to be approaching the peak of her powers now and it doesn't seem like any filly in training in Ireland or Britain can lay a glove on her.

"It's a huge honour and pleasure to train her," said 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!"

Porta Fortuna receives a pat from Tom Marquand following her third Group 1 win on the bounce Credit: Patrick McCann

Marquand settled the 5-4 favourite in fourth position, tracking the front pack led by her main rival and 5-2 second favourite Fallen Angel. James Doyle attempted to stretch on board the leader at the two-furlong pole, but Porta Fortuna was just ambling through the gears on her outside. It was all over at the furlong pole when she charged to the front and skipped a length away from the game runner-up.

With seven wins in 11 starts, including four Group 1s and seconds in the Phoenix Stakes, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and 1,000 Guineas, she's a special filly to O'Brien for a multitude of reasons, but the fact she is a homebred for the family adds another layer of sweetness.

Her CV could begin to burst at the seams soon as she's scheduled to take on the boys in the Breeders' Cup Mile, for which she was cut into 4-1, at Del Mar in November, and her ecstatic owners confirmed post-race that they plan to keep her in training next season.

O'Brien said: "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. Fair play to them as they kept her with me and that doesn't always happen."

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