MARTELLE Maguire brought up her first win in nine months at Riverina Paceway on Tuesday.
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Due to the impact of the coronavirus Bathurst-based Maguire has returned home to Leeton and drove Heavens Hurricane to victory for her father Phil.
Finding the front from gate seven, Maguire and Heavens Hurricane dictated terms before going on to win by 12 metres.
She was thrilled to return to winning ways.
"It was good," Maguire said.
"I almost forgot what it felt like."
Maguire hasn't been driving regularly in Bathurst but jumped at her chance.
It was also Heavens Hurricane's first win for the stable and first since June.
"He did good," Maguire said.
"He's nearly been out of the winners circle for as long as I have but we know he is a better horse in front but since we've had him we've just never been able to lead with him.
"Once he got there they couldn't stop him."
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BRUCE Harpley hopes he's found his runner for the Regional Championships.
He had initially been targetting Wagga's group one carnival with Delightful Jackie before it was aborted due to the coronavirus crisis.
Now he's set his sights on the new group one series at Wagga, which replaces the Million Dollar Pace.
Delightful Jackie was group one placed at two, and won impressively in her first run back as a three-year-old before injuring a tendon last year.
She's had six runs back, winning two of them, but her victory at Riverina Paceway on Tuesday was the first time Harpley was really pleased with the mare.
"She actually showed acceleration while the week before she didn't," Harpley said.
"She showed no dash the week before when she run second but she reeled off a last half in 57 three wide for a lot of it.
He's hoping she can join sisters Frith and Molly Kelly as group one winners.
The series starts on May 8.
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SPEAKING of Molly Kelly, the mare suffered her first loss of the season at Menangle on Saturday.
She had won her previous fourth starts since joining the Craig Cross stable but had to settle for sixth when beaten by stablemate Rock N Roll Chapel.
She is bred and owned by Wagga's Dianne Kelly.
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DEMETER made an immediate impact after making the move to Queensland.
After securing her Vicbred bonus after winning at Shepparton last month for trainer Phil Maguire, the New Zealand-bred mare owned by Leeton's Brad Barker headed north to the care of Reece Maguire.
The pair combined to take out a mares qualifying by a half head at Albion Park on Saturday.
She lines up at Queensland's major track again this Saturday.
Demeter won five of her 20 starts while trained in Leeton with 10 further placings.
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A WHOPPING 194 nominations were received for Wagga's meeting on Sunday.
There were 53 dual nominations, but only eight races were drawn.
The biggest number was in the up to 55 race, where 68 horses were entered.
There were 30 for both the up to 47 and the up to 63.