Porta Fortuna and Running Lion on course to lock horns in the Falmouth

Royal Ascot heroines Porta Fortuna and Running Lion are among nine fillies to stand their ground for the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

A Group One-winning two-year-old in last season’s Cheveley Park Stakes, Porta Fortuna filled the runner-up spot behind Elmalka on her return in the 1000 Guineas, but reversed the form in some style at the Royal meeting, getting the better of Opera Singer to lift the Coronation Stakes.

Having now proven her stamina over a mile, Donnacha O’Brien’s filly will be well fancied to follow up when she meets her elders for the first time on the July Course.

John and Thady Gosden’s Running Lion looks set to step up to Group One level following an impressive Group Two success in Ascot’s Duke of Cambridge Stakes at the chief expense of stablemate Laurel, who is a notable absentee from the Falmouth confirmations.

Porta Fortuna could be joined on the trip from Ireland by the Paddy Twomey-trained A Lilac Rolla, Joseph O’Brien’s pair of Rogue Millennium and Gregarina and Adrian Murray’s Magical Sunset.

A Lilac Rolla is a particularly interesting contender, having been kept fresh since filling the runner-up spot behind the currently sidelined Fallen Angel in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in late May.

Doom (William Haggas), Sirona (David Menuisier) and Jabaara (Roger Varian) complete the potential field.