Maria’s Benefit, one of the star mares to have graduated from the Irish point-to-point scene in recent seasons, made a winning start to her chasing career on the track, coming through her first assignment with flying colours at Newton Abbott on Friday afternoon.
The daughter of Beneficial, who had dead-heated to win her four-year-old maiden at Dromahane in November 2016 when with James Doyle, made much of the running in the two mile novice chase.
The odds-on favourite was pitched in against geldings for her track chasing bow, however with the defection of fellow point-to-point graduate, Lough Derg Spirit, the two rivals who lined up against her in opposition were not able to provide a stiff test.
The Stuart Edmunds-trained mare ultimately came through this test with flying colours, pulling clear from the second-last in the hands of Co. Wicklow native and RACE graduate Ciarán Gethings, the now six-year-old ultimately crossed the line with nine lengths to spare over the Paul Nicholls-trained Mont Des Avaloirs.
In all, Friday’s success was her seventh victory under rules, having developed into a real winning machine in her novice hurdle campaign where she won five races on the bounce including in Grade 2 company, before finishing fourth behind Laurina at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Quality mare – Maria’s Benefit skips round @NewtonAbbotRace no trouble and makes light work of two decent rivals on her chasing bow... pic.twitter.com/qDRqQvTpKW
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 12, 2018
