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Jessica Harrington’s raider was a ready winner

Irish challenger Magic Of Light ran out a dominant winner of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association Mares’ Chase at Newbury.

Jessica Harrington’s charge rounded off last season with a lucrative success at the Punchestown Festival and made an encouraging reappearance when third in the fiercely competitive Troytown Chase at Navan last month.

She journeyed to Berkshire in search of valuable black type in this Listed contest, becoming Harrington’s first runner at the track since Spirit Leader won the Tote Gold Trophy – now the Betfair Hurdle – in 2003.

Magic Of Light was a 3-1 shot in the hands of Robbie Power and travelled well in behind as 2-1 favourite Drinks Interval made much of the running.

The market leader remained in front rounding the home turn, but Magic Of Light took over still full of running on the run to the third-last fence and readily extended 14 lengths clear.

The winning trainer’s daughter, Kate Harrington, said: “That was a brilliant win.

“She ran a great race in the Troytown. She made a very bad mistake down the back and lost her position but she ran on really well.”

Regarding future plans she went on: “The plan would be to give her a break now and if the handicapper is not too mean to her, hopefully she’ll go for the Thyestes in Gowran.

“We might come back over here and find a few more races like that. She is a good mare and a real big stayer.

“We will take it one race at a time. Any of those big staying handicaps is where she is going to be.

“She could turn out to be in the Irish National later on.”