Newbury report: Grand National runner-up Magic Of Light back in groove

Last season’s Grand National runner-up Magic Of Light continued on the road back to Aintree with a repeat success in the Thoroughbred Breeders Association Mares’ Chase at Newbury.

Third on her seasonal return in a Grade Two hurdle at Navan last month, the Jessica Harrington-trained eight-year-old made her return to fences a triumphant one with a facile victory in the Listed prize.

Having led from the outset, the 2-5 favourite looked to have a fight on her hands until Field Exhibition – who was a length down in second – departed at the last, leaving the market leader to cross the line a long way clear of Drinks Interval.

Winning rider Robbie Power said: “She was very lairy in front and wasn’t going as quick as I wanted to go. Early on she backed off her fences, which is expected after being around Aintree. She might have given herself one or two frights around there as well. That was ideal, it was a nice school around.

“The further she went, the better she went and when the other horse came to me she started to race and I was confident the whole way up the straight she would win, it was never in doubt.

“She absolutely pinged the last and galloped all the way to the line.”

Regarding future plans, the Gold Cup winning-pilot expects all roads to lead back to the Aintree showpiece, for which she was cut from 33-1 to 25-1 for by Paddy Power, while Coral left her unchanged at the same price.

Power said: “She won’t be seen until the new year and she might go back to Ascot for the mares’ hurdle she won last year, but I don’t know. She will have a similar sort of route she had to Aintree last year and Aintree will be the main aim again.”

The Big Breakaway, one of Colin Tizzard’s most exciting jumps prospects, made it two from two over hurdles with a smooth win in the Conundrum EBF Stallions National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle.

The four-year-old, who cost connections €360,000, pulled right away from £440,000 buy Papa Tango Charly to win by seven lengths to give jockey Robbie Power two victories on the card from three rides.

“Apart from one time when the second was going equally as well, he cruised through it without visibly doing too much,” said Tizzard. “He’s a gorgeous young horse.

“No doubt he will have to step up to a hotter race. We could take him to Cheltenham for Festival Trials Day, which would be ideal for his education.

“He is a good advert for Irish point-to-pointers, as lovely a staying novice as we’ve had. I am sure he will be entered in the two and a half mile and three mile races at the Cheltenham Festival. If he keeps winning he will stay at two and a half.”

Nicky Henderson registered his ninth win of the season at Newbury when Fraser Island made a winning debut over hurdles in the Prodec Networks Juvenile Hurdle.

Fraser Island ran 15 times on the Flat for Mark Johnston but was winning only his second race in defeating Sir Canford by 11 lengths.

“He had a busy campaign on the Flat and he has enjoyed little break,” said Henderson. “We will want to find another race like that for him.”

Seamus Mullins sent out his first winner in 150 days and Kevin Jones rode his first winner in 100 days when 33-1 chance Mahler’s Promise landed the Prodec Networks Maiden Hurdle.

The bumper winner’s task became considerably easier when the Henderson-trained odds-on favourite Shishkin came down early on leaving Mahler’s Promise to open his account over hurdles by four lengths.

The winning trainer’s son James said: “It’s been so many days since we’ve had a winner. Some people have been hypothesising but there’s been nothing wrong, it just hasn’t been our time. This is a lovely horse who we have bided our time with and he’s come right today.”