Mary Magdalene dominant at Cambridge

The performance of the day was saved for the last race on the card at Cambridge on Sunday, when Mary Magdalene delivered for a large group of owners.

And it was a case of maturity winning over when Mary Magdalene bolted in to win by seven lengths, leaving the opposition in her wake in a runaway victory.

The five-year-old Lazarus mare showed huge heart after having to work early in the running, finding the parked position and being left without cover for the majority of the race.

She briefly obtained cover in the one-one, but it wasn’t long until driver Andre Poutama unleashed her showing a wicked turn of speed inside the final 800m, clearing out by a huge margin on the home turn to put the race away with great ease.

Mary Magdalene Win

Trained by Vaughan and Peter Blanchard, it was her second career success to date in 19 starts.

“She has been a bit of work in progress really. But she’s just got better as she’s got older,” Vaughan Blanchard told Wai Eyre Farm.

Bred by Dan Magill, the five-year-old mare has been with the Blanchard stable since she was a yearling.

“We have a good rapport with Dan (Magill) over the last five or ten years, and this one is one of his home bred horses. And there’s a large group of his friends and family in the ownership so it was really nice to see her step up for them on Sunday”

Time has certainly been her friend, with things gradually clicking into place Blanchard explained.

“She’s always trained a lot better than she has raced. And she can at times get quite keen to get on with the job, but on Sunday she was in the right head space so it was really nice to see things pan out perfectly for her and she delivered for the owners.”

As she has matured Mary Magdalene has started to bring her true ability on race day, and has become a useful horse for younger drivers learning the trade.

“A number of junior drivers have driven her at the trials, she’s got a great temperament and is lovely to have around the barn.”

“Her temperament and gait are super now, and she has really developed into a nice mare.”

For now Blanchard says it is just a case of playing the rating game, and continuing to develop the mares confidence and ringcraft.

“Everything has clicked together for her now. So if she continues to race like she is I do think she can win a couple more too.”  

Mary Magdalene is out of Ruby Jane, an unraced Rock N Roll Heaven mare, and a half sister to the well performed Annie Morva, The Waiotapu Wonder, and Bet Out Of Ell.

She is the only foal bred from Ruby Jane to date.