Denis Maricic & Dusty Delight form potent combo

Anna Bay harness racing trainer Denis Maricic has taken up the challenge in Thursday afternoon’s running of the Psarakis Accounting Marathon Pace at Tamworth Paceway with his runner Dusty Delight.

The race, to be contested over the longer distance of 2730 metres, will see a soccer pedigree and harness racing combined.

Sounds like an unlikely combination but Maricic – a newly registered harness trainer – is a former soccer player who played in Europe.

Maricic is hoping the skills he gained as a young and confident player will be transferred to Dusty Delight.

“I think he will run a big race,” said Maricic of the Bettors Delight gelding who will commence off the second line from barrier eight.

“I think Onedin Highlander is our biggest danger.

“Dusty is a sit and sprint horse and I thought the Marathon would be right up his alley.”

If Maricic does train Dusty Delight to a win – and there is no reason why the former athlete can’t do so – it will be his biggest win, with him only obtaining his trainers licence three months ago.

“I was a stablehand with Michael Begini and then I got my trainers licence,” he said.

With plenty of well-respected trainers around Anna Bay to help out with training information – which Maricic soaks up – he came into the sport courtesy of Les Kosklin, who purchased Maricic’s first pacer for him to race.

Maricic liked owning the horse so much, he was hooked. “I’m delighted I got Dusty to be my project. I had my eye on him for a while. I have had him for three starts now,” he said.

Before his venture into the pacers, Maricic owned and raced gallopers. But harness racing is where his passion is now.

Maricic has had one win with Dusty Delight, at Newcastle last month over 2030m.

Nathan Xuereb drove Dusty Delight to the win at Newcastle but Maitland reinsman Peter Hedges will handle him in Tamworth.

By Julie Maughan

Reprinted with permission of The Northern Daily Leader