Maybe Mahal was never out of the money in 44 starts and ended her career with a Doncaster

Racehorse Maybe Mahal was foaled in 1972 and was by Maybe Lad out of the mare Faithfully Yours (by Todman). From 44 starts she had 14 wins and numerous placings and won over $300,000 in prize money. Maybe Mahal’ was one of the first representatives of a daughter of champion sprinter Todman to grace the racetrack. She was fundamental in establishing Todman’s credentials as a broodmare sire. A dominant sprinter/miler of the 1970s, Maybe Mahal proved to be an absolute star mare in handicaps and weight-for-age contests for champion trainer Bart Cummings. Cummings described his 1978 Doncaster winner as "easily the smallest, weediest yearling I've ever trained". On Timeform rating, Maybe Mahal sits as the 7th best horse ever within his stable.

Maybe Mahal had a fantastic start in her inaugural two year-old season of 1975/76, winning seven from 12 starts and placing in the other five. After two placings, the filly won over 1000m at Victoria Park then ran 2nd before going on a victorious streak of six straight wins. They included the SAJC South Australian Stakes, the Oakland Plate at Cheltenham, PARC Sires Produce Stakes, SAJC Gallipoli Handicap, VATC Teppo Stakes at Caulfield, VATC Devonshire Handicap at Sandown and the Alexandra Stakes at Victoria Park in Adelaide.

After a spell Maybe Mahal returned as a three-year-old but was unable to win in all nine starts, however she managed to run top four in each race. As a four-year-old the mare performed much better going up in grade and at WFA, with four wins from 15 starts, again running inside the top four in all races. She did prove victorious with three major wins in a row at Flemington. Firstly the Gr.1 VRC Craven Stakes (1200m), Gr.1 VRC George Adams Hcp (1600m) and the Gr.1 VRC Lightning Stakes (1000m) in February 1977. A 2nd placing would follow in the Newmarket to Desirable and a 4th in the Doncaster at Randwick. In May, Maybe Mahal ran 2nd to Romantic Dream in the Malboro Plate at Morphettville, then 3rd in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. She would complete her season by winning the Doomben 10,000, getting one back over Romantic Dream. The mare was now proving to be a well travelling racehorse that had competed in four different States.

In the 1978/79 season, Maybe Mahal had reached the peak of her powers and would finish her career in fine style. As a now five-year-old, the mare would run 3rd in the Liston Stakes at Sandown, 2nd in the Chirnside Stakes at Sandown and 3rd in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington before her final two starts. The brilliant mare would go on to win the Gr.1 VRC Newmarket Handicap (1200m), defeating the very talented Blazing Saddles before going out on a winning note in the Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) at Randwick. Bart was overheard telling her strapper that "she was ready to peak". The maestro's uncanny eye was again to the fore, as two days later Maybe Mahal decimated the Doncaster field to win by three lengths with 57kg. Just four mares - Cuddle (59kg, 1936), Sunline (58kg, 2002), More Joyous (57.5kg, 2012) and Maybe Mahal (57kg, 1978) - have carried at least 57kg to victory in the 154-year history of the Doncaster. It places the mare in elite company. It is also quite remarkable that in all 44 starts, Maybe Mahal never finished lower than 4th place, demonstrating her exceptional power, overall strength, and unwavering determination to achieve victory. Maybe Mahal was named the 1977/78 Australian Racehorse of the Year.

RACE RECORD 44: 14-7-8 (4th 15 times)

EARNINGS - $300,000 +

Doomben 10,000 (1977)

Lightning Stakes, (1977 - 1978)

Newmarket Handicap (1978)

Doncaster Handicap (1978)

George Adams Plate (1978)

Craven A Stakes (1976)

George Adams Stakes (1976)

West End Export Stakes (1975)