Back home and back to business

Talented young harness racing driver Reece Maguire is back home—and he didn’t waste any time in getting into the winner’s circle.

Maguire has spent two years working in Queensland, but he and his partner Madi Dux have decided to make the move to be based in Reece’s hometown of Leeton in the NSW Riverina.

“I grew up in the town and love it. We’ve been part of Madi’s family harness racing business, living on their property at Woongoolba in the northern part of the city of Gold Coast,” Maguire said.

“But when we talked about shifting a couple of months ago, Madi decided she was ready for a change,” he said.

The Dux’s are a well-established Queensland harness racing family, and Madi’s father Mark is an experienced trainer-driver.

“He will miss Madi for sure, as will her mum Donna. But they kind of told us that if we wanted to go and do our own thing, then they were happy for us,” Maguire said.

“We are both still concession drivers with a three-point claim, so hopefully it all works out for us and other trainers in the area will be willing to give us some opportunities.”

Reece himself has harness racing pedigree on both sides, with his dad Philip and his pop Norm Diebert Snr both experienced and successful trainers over many years.

Maguire wasn’t back home long before he made the one-and-a-half-hour trip down the Sturt Highway to Wagga Wagga a memorable one last Friday.

“It was the first time I’d driven on the new track and it’s awesome,” he said.

And posting an impressive win with former Kiwi pacer Prairie (American Ideal-Miss Previous Mach (Mach Three), trained by his dad Philip, probably made it even sweeter. The gelding scored easily by 11 metres in a slick time of 1.56-8 in his Aussie debut.

Watch the replay click here.

“He’s a horse with a lot of ability—he always felt great in the run and despite being up the back, he worked home hard when I pulled him off three wide,” Maguire said.

“I think dad intends to just keep him ticking along around here. He will end up doing a nice job that’s for sure,” he said.

“A good stable client in Deb Barker owns the horse. Deb is a loyal owner and turns up each day to give a hand around the stables. Without her we just wouldn’t be producing these talented types.

“I’ve been to New Zealand a few times, having some six-week stints with a very good horseman in Mark Jones. Whenever we are in the market to buy one, Mark is always willing to give us a guide, which definitely makes it easier.”

The Maguire stable is working eight horses, while also breeding from a few broodmares.

“Dad cut back a bit on numbers when I moved up north and my sister Martelle (also a driver) moved away as well. She got a job with a school at Bathurst, but now she’s back too, working as a teacher’s aid in Leeton,” he said.

“So I’m hoping that with all of us now back in the area, dad will build up the numbers again a little bit.”

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura