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Porta Fortuna and Ryan Moore win the G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes (Breandán Ó hUallacháin photo)
Porta Fortuna and Balantina score at The Curragh
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
US owners tasted success at The Curragh, Ireland, on Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas day.
Medallion Racing 2020 LLC, Steven I Weston, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Barry Fowler’s ultra consistent Irish-bred Porta Fortuna made her first racecourse appearance for 2025 when winning the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes over a mile, while Steven I Weston and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Balantina won a €20,000 Fillies’ Maiden – both winners trained by Donnacha O’Brien.
Porta Fortuna (5/4 favourite), a four-time Group 1 winner to date, began her 2025 campaign with a battling half-length win over the Paddy Twomey-handled four-time winner One Look (3/1). The winner, ridden by Ryan Moore for trainer Donnacha O’Brien – son of Aidan – was positioned in mid-divison for much of the one-mile contest.
Moore asked the four-year-old to make progress as they approached the three-furlong marker. The race favourite progressed to second position before the two-eights pole, then seized the lead inside the final furlong. Her advantage was soon reduced by One Look, a daughter of Gleneagles, as she produced her effort under jockey Billy Lee. With both fillies lunging towards the finishing line, Porta Fortuna held on by half a length, with the Ger Lyons-trained Colin Keane-ridden Naomi Lapaglia (10/1) next best, two and a quarter lengths further back in third.
Either the Queen Anne Stakes or the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot next month were immediately mentioned by the winning trainer for Porta Fortuna’s next target.
“It was a lovely starting point for her. Ryan (Moore, jockey) said she relaxed lovely, she quickens up really well, and he said she got a little idle and maybe got a little tired in the last furlong, but it was just perfect for her and should leave her spot on for Ascot.
“She was probably 85% to 90% fit today. At Ascot you have to have pace, it will hopefully be quick ground and they’ll hopefully go a good gallop. She needed to run today and I think it will leave her spot on.”
Porta Fortuna, by Caravaggio, was bred by Aidan and Annemarie O’Brien’s Whisperview Trading. She took the Group 1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket as a juvenile. During her three-year-old season, she won Group 1 Coronation Stakes (Fillies) at Royal Ascot, the Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (Fillies and Mares) at Newmarket and the Group 1 Coolmore America ´Justify´ Matron Stakes at Leopardstown during the Irish Champions Festival.
The American owners had earlier taken the opening Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF Fillies Maiden over six furlongs, the opening race on the card with Balantina (6/1).
Balantina, the perceived second string from the Donnacha O’Brien stable based on the betting market, ran out a one length victor over her stable companion and race favourite Cape Sounion (7/4 favourite).
The winner, ridden by County Kerry-born British champion flat jockey Oisín Murphy broke well from the stalls to lead early in the race. The previosuly once-raced filly showed great determination to fight off all challengers, staying on well inside the one-eight pole, having led all the way.
The runner-up Cape Sounion, ridden by Gavin Ryan, had previously been an eye-catching second on debut to the Coolmore partners-owned Simply Astounding at Naas in late April.
Beautify (5/1) took third in the race for powerful combination Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, a length behind Cape Sounion.
“I think Balantina keeps a little for herself (when working at home),” Donnacha O’Brien revealed. “I think there is a good chance Balantina will take her chance in the Albany Stakes (ar Royal Ascot).”
Balatina, a daughter of Ten Sovereigns, was bred by Summerhill, Lynch Bages and S Murphy, and was a €100,000 purchase at Arqana’s August Sale last year. She made her racecourse debut over six furlongs at The Curragh on 5 May 2025 when finishing fourth to the Joseph O’Brien-trained Andab.
Balantina made little impression that day when pushed along two furlongs from home, though she did stay on in the closing 150 yards of the race. The winner, Andab, has since finished third in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes, also at The Curragh, behind the much touted Albert Einstein.
Balantina gets day 3 of the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival off to a bright start, landing the Tally @HoStud @IrishEBF_ under Oisin Murphy for Donnacha O’Brien.
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) May 25, 2025
Congratulations to all connections. pic.twitter.com/z5ZJGk5LlT
