Porta Fortuna ‘in great form’ and set for Falmouth tilt

Alan Magee
July 3, 2024 6:19 pm

Trainer Donnacha O’Brien was at Tipperary to score with stablemate Usdi Atohi.

Donnacha O’Brien was on target with Usdi Atohi in the feature Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Tipperary Stakes and then put forward the Falmouth Stakes as a likely next target for Royal Ascot heroine Porta Fortuna.

The latter followed up her neck second to Elmalka in the 1000 Guineas by claiming the Coronation Stakes and is set to head back to Newmarket in search of another Group One triumph a week on Friday.

“She’s very good and is in great form. She’s only done one bit of work since but is moving great and we’re very happy with her,” said the trainer.

“At the minute, we’re thinking of going to the Falmouth next Friday, so that’s the plan.”

Usdi Atohi sprang a surprise as she edged out Andrew Slattery’s Powerful Nation close home in the five-furlong Listed event under Gavin Ryan.

Usdi Atohi won the Tipperary feature (Alan Magee/PA)

Despite being a 20-1 outsider, the winner had featured in group company behind impressive Royal Ascot scorer Fairy Godmother on her second start and fittingly is a daughter of the horse the race is named after, Ten Sovereigns.

O’Brien said: “We thought she was a good filly and the form of her maiden worked out very well. She was a bit disappointing in Naas but she took a very bad step at one of the ridges and Gavin was easy on her then.

“This looked a competitive race but thankfully she’s bounced back to form.

“A stiff six furlongs probably stretched her, so we said we’d let her bowl over five as she did in her maiden and it’s worked out. We’ll find a Group race for her.”

She’s Quality appears to have earnt herself a return to deeper waters having served a reminder of her class with a bloodless victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race.

Jack Davison’s daughter of Acclamation was deemed good enough to compete in Group One company as a juvenile and has been kept busy in the early part of 2024, with a placed effort at Listed level behind Cherry Blossom a notable highlight.

She's Quality was in top form at Tipperary — She’s Quality was in top form at Tipperary (Alan Magee/PA)

Sent off the 4-9 favourite for the opener, she proved once again she is expertly named when following up her recent Down Royal handicap triumph in supreme style.

Having surged to a three-and-a-quarter-lengths success with the minimum of fuss, her handler is now eyeing a return to group company for the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes on July 20.

Davison said: “She was very professional and it is all starting to click. She’s getting to where I thought she would be, and we look forward to the Sapphire at the Curragh in a couple of weeks.

“It’s a Group Two over five furlongs that we won with Mooneista a few years ago. Hopefully the ground stays fast.

“We’re working on her confidence and the last two runs will do her the world of good. I really do think she’s going to be a very good sprinter going forward.”

Surpass looked a nice prospect when storming home in the Glenvale Stud Race over seven and a half furlongs for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.

Surpass after winning at Tipperary (Alan Magee/PA)

The son of Saxon Warrior had to overcome clear signs of greenness when scrambling home on his debut at this course towards the end of May but put in a much more convincing display this time.

Sent off at 4-9, he forged clear at the furlong pole and stayed on strongly to see off Dakota Blue by three lengths.

Moore said: “He’s a nice horse and has had two nice runs here. He’s impressed me both times and hopefully he has a nice future. He’s very comfortable on that ground.”