Balantina lined up for Coronation Stakes

Balantina will have the chance to replicate Porta Fortuna, as Donnacha O’Brien prepares his Breeders’ Cup heroine for an appearance in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

O’Brien saddled Porta Fortuna to strike at the Royal meeting in both 2023 and 2024 and has his eye on picking up the Coronation once again with his Del Mar winner, who is yet to be seen since her memorable victory in California last November.

“We were hoping we will have some fun with her travelling later in the year so we were always going to give her time and we are working towards the Coronation Stakes,” said O’Brien.

“We’ll make a decision closer to the time if she needs a prep run before going into Group One company, but there’s an outside chance she could also start in the Coronation depending on how well she is at the time.”

He went on: “She has a very similar profile I suppose to Porta Fortuna even though Porta started off in the Guineas. She went straight to Ascot after that and they have both had similar two-year-old campaigns.

“We’re looking forward to getting Balantina started. We think she’s going to be a really nice filly for the year and she’ll be ready to start in June whether that is Ascot or somewhere else.”

Another of O’Brien’s three-year-old fillies will have the chance to scoop Classic honours when Athasi Stakes winner Kensington Lane returns to the Curragh for the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

“The plan is to run in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and she came out of the Athasi Stakes well,” continued O’Brien.

“She’s a filly we have always liked and I think nice ground is pretty important to her. She enjoyed going up to a mile last time and I think in time she will probably stay 10 furlongs as well. It was nice to get that Group win into her and hopefully she can keep progressing.”