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Porta Fortuna made a winning start to her campaign in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
The Donnacha O'Brien-trained filly could already boast an outstanding record at the highest level, registering victories in the Group 1 Matron Stakes, Falmouth Stakes, and Coronation Stakes as a three-year-old, in addition to the Cheveley Park Stakes during her juvenile campaign. The now-four-year-old was last seen finishing eighth when hampered in running in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile - the only occasion on which she has been unplaced from thirteen career starts.
Ridden by Ryan Moore, Porta Fortuna was carrying a three pound penalty for her Group 1 successes and resuming from a 204-day layoff but seemed unperturbed when settled in midfield at the exterior in the early stages. Beginning to make headway with three furlongs remaining, she assumed the lead at the furlong pole, kicking on authoritatively to register a half-a-length victory over Paddy Twomey's One Look in second.
"It was a lovely starting point for her. She did things right, relaxed nicely and quickened up well," said Donnacha O'Brien.
"Ryan said she got a little bit idle in front. That's beautiful and should set her up nicely for Ascot now.
"The Queen Anne seems likely, we have the option of that or the Duke of Cambridge, but I think she won so nicely and she's training good and she's happy and healthy. I think we have to look at the Queen Anne."
When prompted as to whether another Stateside trip for the Breeders' Cup could be on the cards, the trainer replied: "We'll see what happens. It was a target last year and the year before so it seems like an obvious possibility at the end of the year.
"We'll get through the rest of the year and see how she is and hatch a plan then."
Porta Fortuna was hardened to 6-1 from 8-1 for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot with Coral.
Elsewhere on the card, Albert Einstein looked very smart on second outing in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes, proving the determined victor in spite of some worrying moments in-running for Ryan Moore.
Arriving with a big reputation in tow on account of a facile success when debuting at Naas, the two-year-old travelled keenly in the early stages of the contest. With two furlongs remaining, no gap materialised, and Moore was forced to pursue a wide route. The colt obliged creditably and demonstrated a sharp turn of foot to register a three-quarter length victory over Power Blue in second.
The Coolmore homebred, who is out of Group-placed mare Yet, and a half-sister to Carracci, evidently impressed Aidan O'Brien, who commented: "The lads said he was rated an eight as a yearling and that's as high as the rating goes.
"I think his name was changed three times. Every time we named him Sue (Magnier) maybe thought the name wasn't good enough for him.
"It's a feeling putting those names on those horses and it's a very difficult thing to do. I wasn't sure what his name was as he was changed so many times.
"We always thought he was very special and that's obviously why Sue called him that. He's very exciting.
"The plan was to come here and go to the Coventry. I was worried today because it's so windy and he is so sharp mentally, but he had to run.
"We were hoping it was going to be a strong run race, which I thought it was, but Ryan said he would have preferred them to go faster.
"If everything goes well I think that's what the lads will do, but obviously they'll decide all those things the week before Ascot.
"He was always very different all the way, everything he has done has been different. All we've ever been trying to do is slow him down.
"The special ones are like that, you are slowing them down and you're not teaching them anything because they know everything. All you're trying to do is get them to relax all the time.
"The real special horses are so natural and so good like that. Hopefully we'll be able to keep him going the right way."
