Maughan’s appointment was finalised on Thursday night, with Maughan accepting the position for two years.

The THRC said in a statement on Friday, it felt lucky to receive applications from high quality candidates to lead a board that has made great progression over the last four years, which sets a great platform for the future.

It added that outgoing chairman Terry Browne has made an exceptional commitment over the last two years that has seen changes made to THRC that will benefit staff, participants and patrons for years to come.

Maughan joins Joyce Walsh, Graham Moon, Greg McDonell and Robert Betts on the board and “brings a life time of harness racing experience and strong management skills to the board at a time when the club is transitioning into an exciting new future underpinned by exceptional performance both on and off the track in recent years”.

Her first meeting in charge will be Sunday’s twilight meeting.

“It’s very exciting,” Maughan said about the role.

“It’s only just starting to sink in now.”

She’ll be starting her new role wearing a couple of different hats, filling in for Mark Lowe as the on-course interviewer for the nine race twilight meeting, which will get underway at 6.17pm with the aptly named Summer of Harness Racing @ Tamworth Pace (1980m).

As suggested by the name the club is gearing up for a big Summer with Sunday the first of three December meetings, and another four in January culminating in the Golden Guitar series.

After picking up four winners at the last two meetings, Queensland’s Weidemann sisters – Julie and Lola – again have a strong team of runners.

Kootingal’s Craig Clegg will also have several runners, starting Great Result, Scottish Duchess and Pictures of Paris.

“They’ve been preparing along nicely since the last meeting in Tamworth,” Clegg said.

“They’ve done a lot of miles (in training).”

Great Result will be the first up in the John’s Auto Service Pace.

“She’s drawn out a little bit wide,” Clegg said.

“She’s a nice little sit and sprint horse.”

She’ll need a bit of luck, as will Scottish Duchess.

The Elsu-Highland Sting mare is relatively new to the stable.

“I’ve only had her for two starts,” he said.

“She ran third for me first up and then was seventh the other day.”

Pictures of Paris is a bit of an “unknown quantity” with Sunday her first start for Clegg after he picked her up from Peter Green in Sydney.

“I’ve had a lot of horses from him,” he said.

“She’s only had 11 starts and placed in six.”

But if she runs up to what she’s shown she should run well, he said.