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 on Wednesday.

Third on her seasonal return in a Grade 2 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 – unseated her rider 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, Power expects all roads to lead back to the Aintree showpiece, for which she was cut from 33/1 to 25/1 for by one firm.

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.”

POWER DOUBLE

Colin Tizzard has no shortage of Grade 1 performers at his yard and it looks only a matter of time before The Big Breakaway becomes another after maintaining his unbeaten record on the same card.

Creating a big impression on his debut under rules at Chepstow last month, the €360,000 purchase continued to justify his lofty price tag in landing the two and a half mile novices' hurdle by seven lengths under Robbie Power.

Tizzard said: “He jumped one and was three lengths up, five lengths up, then he was gone without visibly doing too much.

“Robbie said to be careful running him in really heavy ground, as he is only four and is a big-framed horse. He is one of the loveliest staying novices we’ve had, I would say.”

Assessing plans, Tizzard is considering giving a dress rehearsal at Cheltenham before the Festival in March.

He said: “It would be lovely to take him there (Cheltenham) and let him have a go at the course. It would be ideal for his education to run him there once. There is bound to be something there on trials day. I’m sure he would be entered in the two-and-a-half and three-mile race at the Festival.”

TRIUMPH HOPE

Fraser Island earned a quote of 40/1 for the Triumph Hurdle with Betfair when looking a class above his rivals on his first start for Nicky Henderson in the Prodec Networks Juvenile Hurdle.

Henderson said of the even-money winner: “He has really enjoyed himself. Without being critical of other people’s horses, it wasn’t a very brilliant contest.

“He is nice, but you would want to do that again. If he could do that again you could have a look at something like that (Chatteris Fen).”

Mahler’s Promise ended trainer Seamus Mullins’ 150-day wait for a winner when springing a 33/1 surprise in the Prodec Networks Maiden Hurdle.

James Mullins, assistant to his father, said: “We needed that as it has been four and a half months since we had a winner. There has been no reason for it, as we have not had a bug and nothing has been wrong with them, it was just not our time.

“He is a lovely animal, we had given him a bit of time and he has come right today. He was 33-1 quite rightly on his previous form.”

BUMPER WINNER

Stamina tests may eventually bring out the best in Midnight Ginger in the future, but the three year old showed enough speed to make her debut a winning one with a two-and-a-quarter-length success in the fillies' junior bumper.

Winning trainer Alan King said of the 6/1 shot: “I’ve always liked her, but she shows stamina and the other filly (Karastani) that I ran and finished further down would be more speed at the moment.

“You probably won’t see her for six weeks or two months and whether she is good enough to go to Aintree in the spring, I don’t know.”

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