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Horse Racing

Porta Fortuna clear form pick for Falmouth joy

July 2024

Porta Fortuna can follow up her Royal Ascot victory with a third Group One success in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

The daughter of Caravaggio enjoyed a smart juvenile campaign last season when she won her maiden at the Curragh before going on to claim Group Three success at Naas.

That booked her a trip to the Royal meeting where she struck at the same level in the Albany Stakes.

Porta Fortuna then stepped up to Group One class and was beaten 4-lengths by Bucanero Fuerte in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh before chasing home Fallen Angel and Vespertilio in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

She finally got her Group One success when holding off Pearls And Rubies in the Cheveley Park to book a date in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, where she was beaten just 0.5-lengths to end an impressive juvenile campaign.

On her return to action, Donnacha O'Brien's charge went down by just a neck to Elmalka in the 1000 Guineas before reversing that form when taking over the lead inside the final 200m to beat Opera Singer and land the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot - and another Group One is there for the taking.

A fascinating renewal of the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes can go the way of Heavens Gate.

The daughter of Churchill was second on debut in a Navan maiden before coming on from that run when comfortably beating fellow Ballydoyle inmate January at the Curragh.

That earned her a shot in Group company and she led into the final 200m in the Albany Stakes but found stablemate Fairy Godmother too good and had to settle for third after also being headed by Simmering.

Mountain Breeze finished behind her that day in fourth and Heavens Gate can confirm that form with a trip to the winner's enclosure at HQ.

Raqiya seeks to score at Group Three level for the first time in the William Hill Summer Stakes at York and the Owen Burrows-trained charge can make the trip north from Lambourn worthwhile.

The three-year-old enjoyed back-to-back wins at Salisbury and Haydock during her juvenile campaign before she ended the season finishing fifth of nine as she stepped up to this class in the Firth of Clyde at Ayr.

Her seasonal reappearance at Salisbury saw her land the Listed Cathedral Stakes by a neck from Funny Story to set her up for another crack at Group level - and this time she can prevail.

Spherical moves up to 1200m for the first time in the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Irish EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes and can come out on top.

The daughter of Blue Point won at Yarmouth on her racecourse debut to justify odds-on favouritism before disappointing at Royal Ascot.

However, she can be forgiven that run in the Queen Mary Stakes when she was denied a clear passage from over 400m out and can now make the step up in trip a profitable one. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 5 UK meetings on Friday. Here are the tips.

NEWMARKET: Race 1: 14.50 Royal Power, Race 2: 15.25 Heavens Gate, Race 3: 16.00 Fairbanks, Race 4: 16.35 PORTA FORTUNA (NAP), Race 5: 17.10 Field Of Gold, Race 6: 17.45 Metabolt, Race 7: 18.20 No Half Measures.

YORK: Race 1: 15.05 Silver Samurai, Race 2: 15.40 Raqiya, Race 2: 16.15 Spherical, Race 4: 16.50 Karmology, Race 5: 17.20 Drink Dry, Race 6: 17.55 Never Dark, Race 7: 18.30 Kitsune Power.

ASCOT: Race 1: 15.15 Stockpyle, Race 2: 15.50 New Charter, Race 3: 16.25 Global Asset, Race 4: 17.00 Loughville, Race 5: 17.35 Condor Pasa, Race 6: 18.10 Rhythm N Hooves.

CHEPSTOW: Race 1: 18.15 Phoenix Of Dreams, Race 2: 18.50 Invincible Crown, Race 3: 19.25 Bama Lama, Race 4: 20.00 Kalama Sunrise, Race 5: 20.35 Lady Wingalong, Race 6: 21.10 Rinnovati, Race 7: 21.45 Walter Hartright.

CHESTER: Race 1: 19.05 The Flying Seagull, Race 2: 19.40 Dukes Of Haather, Race 3: 20.15 Coup De Force, Race 4: 20.50 Tele Red, Race 5: 21.25 Evocative Spark, Race 6: 21.55 Berkshire Phantom.

ALL TO COME: Raqiya (York, Race 2) and Porta Fortuna (Newmarket, Race 4).

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