The lightly raced Mahanadi has continued his way through the grades and claimed his biggest career win thus far in the Rating 75 Benchmark $15,000 Hiremaster Handicap (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Jumping from barrier 11, on a heavy 11 track, it was always going to be a tough task for Mahanadi (Tiger Hill x Bargibant) and he would have lost no admirers if he ran unplaced given the tough run he had in transit, being three and four wide the entire trip with no cover.

Ridden by David Walker, the four-year-old spotted the race leader Alignadreams (Align) a good five lengths in the straight and his rival looked to have the race wrapped up before Mahanadi produced a brave late charge in the final 50 metres to win by a head.

A tough and determined win, Mahanadi covered a lot of extra ground in the race and on heavy footing managed to produce a sharp turn of foot at the finish. It was a performance from a horse that looks to have a bit to offer on the track and his three wins from six starts suggests there is more to come.

Mahanadi came into the race off the back of a good win in mid-May over 2200 metres and was unlucky two starts ago when he hit the running rail coming into the home corner.

Bred by Peter and Philip Vela, Mahanadi has shown that he can handle most footing with his three victories coming on good, slow and heavy tracks.

A well-bred son of Tiger Hill, Mahanadi is from the Sir Tristram mare Bargibant and is a half-brother to Free at Last (Senor Pete) who won the Group 2 Cox Stakes and Listed Tattersall's Cup. Mahanadi was the last living foal from Bargibant.