Tag Archive for: Porta Fortuna

Waiting game for Porta Fortuna’s Matron Stakes defence

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Everything will need to go to plan for Porta Fortuna to make her comeback in the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes on September 13.

Donnacha O’Brien’s stable star has been absent since making a winning reappearance in the Lanwades Stud Stakes in May.

The winner of two Group Ones last year, including the Matron at Leopardstown, as well as the Cheveley Park at two, a setback forced her to miss Royal Ascot and the Deauville mile races.

O’Brien said: “As everyone knows she had a setback, but she’s on the way back.

“We’ll just have to see whether we make Champions Weekend or not.

“Obviously if we’re going to make it we can’t have any hold ups with her between now and then, but the plan is to go there for now.

“It’s one of those where everything will need to go in the right direction.”

O’Brien sets sights on Matron return for Porta Fortuna

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Porta Fortuna is back cantering as Donnacha O’Brien targets a defence of the Matron Stakes title she won last year.

A four-times Group One winner, she made the perfect start to this season when winning the Lanwades Stud Stakes.

She was subsequently ruled out of Royal Ascot due to injury and while she is on her way back to action, O’Brien fears he will not have time to get her run into her prior to the Irish Champions Festival on September 13 and 14.

“She is good and back cantering. She picked up a ligament injury which has taken her a while to get back from and the earliest she will be back is for the Matron Stakes,” said O’Brien.

“That’s what we are hoping for as it is in the time frame to get her back to the track.

“She won’t have time for a prep race so will have to go straight there but it is a Group One in Ireland, so makes sense for a lot of reasons.”

Donnacha O’Brien hoping Porta Fortuna will be back for the autumn

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Donnacha’s O’Brien’s star filly Porta Fortuna will return later in the year after being forced to miss Royal Ascot with a minor setback

The Caravaggio four-year-old has twice run at the showpiece fixture and twice been victorious, winning the Albany in 2023 and the Coronation Stakes in 2024.

She is a multiple Group winner alongside those successes, but will not add to her Ascot tally this term as an injury has sidelined her for the time being.

“She’s had a bit of a setback, she’s not going to make Ascot but hopefully it’s nothing too serious,” said O’Brien.

“We’re hoping to have her back for the second half of the season. It’s bad timing, but we’ll give her all the time she needs and aim to have her back at her best towards the autumn.

“We won’t take any chances with her, we’ll do what’s right by her – as we would with any horse, of course.

“She’s been very special to us, she’ll get all the care and attention she needs.”

Another filly from the yard who will come to hand later in the year is Falling Snow, a daughter of Justify and dual Guineas winner Winter.

The grey made her debut at the Curragh last season, beating the subsequently Group One-placed Ballet Slippers, but has not been seen since after a niggle delayed her return to action.

“She’s on the way back, she had a bad muscle pull earlier in the season but she’s done a few canters now,” O’Brien said.

“She’ll be back in work soon and again, she’ll be one for the second half of the season.

“She’s coming along well and she should be a nice filly for later in the year and into next season.”