The training combination of Leon Macdonald and Andrew Glyvas were all smiles after Augusta Proud returned to winners enclosure for the first time in over eight months at Morphettville earlier today.

Augusta Proud won the $100,000 Group 3 Dunes Port Hughes RN Irwin Stakes (1100m) after profiting from a solid tempo created by the Mick Whittle trained Periduki.

With stable jockey Clare Lindop in the saddle, Augusta Proud was ridden off the speed with only a couple of runners behind her at the top of the straight before gradually reeling in Commanding Hope and Cerberus Girl who both earlier shot to the front on arguably the worst part of the track.

Augusta Proud ($10-$12-$10) defeated Commanding Hope ($5.50-$6) by one and a half lengths with Cerberus Girl ($6-$8.50) only beaten a head away in third.

Madame Pedrille ($3.20) battled away on the fence to hold down fourth while favourite I’m Discreet ($3 fav) never came into contention finishing second last only beating Periduki home.

“He’s found a bit hard in open company but today I thought with a lot of speed in the race she was going to be able to come off their backs as she did,” Macdonald told SKY Racing.

“As soon as she came off their heels I was very happy.”

While some may have questioned the ability of Augusta Proud as wins have become fewer and far between as a three-year-old filly and then a four-year-old mare, Macdonald was resolute in his defence of the 2008 Gold Coast Magic Millions winner.

“She’s a very good mare – she always has been,” he said before adding that Augusta Proud would have her next run in the $300,000 Group 1 Sportingbet Classic (1200m) – formerly the Robert Sangster Stakes - at Morphettville on March 20 for fillies and mares at weight-for-age conditions.

Augusta Proud has won eight times and been placed an additional five times from 22 starts with her prizemoney currently hovering just under the $1.7million mark.

By More Than Ready, Augusta Proud is out of the mare Kadasha who is a winner over 1200m and was placed in the Adelaide metropolitan area during her career.

Pictures: Jenny Barnes