Fan favorite Frankie Dettori picked up from where he left off yesterday with success in the day four opener onboard Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna (5/1).
Irish runners came to the fore in the opener on day four of Royal Ascot as Frankie Dettori, who landed the Albany Stakes on Sander Camillo back in 2006, edged out Ryan Moore to close the gap in the battle to be top jockey this week.
The daughter of Caravaggio stretched her unbeaten record to three having arrived following a hard-fought success over the reopposing Navassa Island in the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas on her second outing.
The eventual runner-up, Matrika (9/1), cut out much of the early running more towards the far side of the track. She responded well to Ryan Moore's urgings from the two-furlong marker, but a confident Frankie Dettori could be spotted in his slipstream and Porta Fortuna came home the stronger of the pair to record a snug one-length success.
George Boughey's Newmarket debut winner Soprano (13/2) finished a further length back in third while Persian Dream (20/1) put in some good late work to grab the fourth spot.
It was a first Royal Ascot success for trainer Donnacha O'Brien whilst victory provided Frankie Dettori with his 80th at the Royal meeting.
Dettori said: "Eighty winners at Royal Ascot – unbelievable! I've fulfilled my dream. Ascot has always been special to me, I love it so much, and to reach 80 winners is incredible.
"One hundred per cent I wanted to get to the 80 winners... I thought 'God, I've got to get three more, but it is easier said than done. Now I have done it, 'yes!' It is a big number!
"This is a solid filly – she's speedy, she's got a turn of foot and she gave me an armchair ride. Well done Donnacha. At the moment this filly feels like a sprinter, but only time will tell.
"I'm only thinking about the next race now, I'm enjoying the moment."
O'Brien said: "It means a lot to train a first Royal Ascot winner. Porta Fortuna is a very smart filly, and big congratulations to all the owners – they spotted her potential early and bought into her. The plan was to come here and it is great that it has come off.
"She travelled really well and quickened smartly, but she kept going to the line well. She is just a very smart filly.
"We'll take her home and see how she comes out of it. She is quite a scopey filly – she is owned by a bunch of American owners so the Breeders' Cup will be a target, whether she will stay that far or not we will see. We will see how she comes out of the race, then we will make a plan.
"All the owners are Americans, big congratulations to all of them. [bloodstock agent] Mark McStay bought her for them, and to be fair they saw her potential and they know it is a big gamble to buy a filly out of a maiden. But they have been proven right, so fair play to them."
Soprano's trainer George Boughey said: "I am delighted with her. She looked like she was probably drawn on the wrong side unfortunately, but we are thrilled.
She's a filly that is always going to get further. She's out of a sister to a Breeders' Cup Mile winner and that's where her future lies, probably up in trip. They just had a little bit too much toe for her and sprinted away, but she hit the line strong."
William Buick added: "Soprano ran super. I wish I was drawn where the others were. It didn't help that I had to chase the race quite early, but she stayed on really well."
Paddy Power made her 10/1 from 25/1 for Classic success in the 1,000 Guineas next season.
