Alanah's drive to succeed

By Jordan Gerrans

When asked to reflect on women’s influence on harness racing in 2024, emerging reinswoman Alanah Richardson immediately points to the next generation.

The 27-year-old has had a strong couple of seasons in the training and driving ranks after relocating back to Queensland.

With International Women’s Day for 2024 to be celebrated on Friday, March 8 – Alanah notes female participation in the code will be healthy in the coming years through the high levels of girls in the mini trotting system.

Teenager Hannah Anforth is in the first month of her driving career after progressing through the mini trotters.

Queensland’s younger female brigade was also well represented at the Inter Dominion 2023 Mini Trot Championship at Albion Park.

“It is great to see that the mini trotters have a lot of female participants coming through,” Alanah said.

“There is a lot of eager young girls coming through the ranks.

“Some of them are getting near the end of their mini trotting career and are excited to move on to the next stage, which is a great.”

The theme for International Women’s Day this year is around inspiring inclusion.

“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive,” IWD organisers say.

“A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all inspire inclusion.”

Alanah believes harness racing provides an inclusive environment where men and women compete on a level playing field.

With the Team Teal campaign also in full swing for 2024, the ladies driving cohort will be celebrated on Saturday evening with an all-female race.

“It is a really good thing that women in racing are being recognised for the job that they do,” Alanah said.

“Not just on the track but off the track as well. There is a lot more women and I think it is great.”

Alanah’s last few years have been as prolific as any since she entered the sport.

She notched 12 training winners last campaign and is on track to surpass that already in 2024.

With four standardbreds in work, Alanah has prepared seven winners from 21 starters this year – going at a 33 per cent winning strike rate.

She is going just as well in the sulky, driving home a career-best 37 victories last season and she has started the new term in promising fashion, as well.

In the midst of all that, she collected her maiden victory at black-type level as a trainer with Dextrous Dexter scoring in the QBRED 3YO Trotting Final at Group 2 level last August.

In the bike behind Dextrous Dexter on that occasion was Alanah’s husband Adam.

The 35-year-old Adam has been impressed with how well Alanah has performed as a driver and trainer.

“She has come a long way the last couple of years,” Adam said.

“She has always been able to sit behind one but she is starting to get the confidence within herself and the horses run good for her.

“She is putting them in the right spots and is doing well.”

The Richardsons returned to Queensland after time living and working in the Riverina region in southern NSW in late 2022.

They have recently set up shop at Jack Butler’s Logan Village base with Adam working for the leading trainer.

Alanah utilizes Butler’s facilities to work up her team of four.

With Adam no longer as hands on with the Richardson’s horses as he is working for Butler, Alanah has taken on more responsibility in recent times.

“Especially this season, she is doing really well with the team,” Adam said.

“Since we have moved to Jack Butler’s, she does most of the work with our horses as I do not help her much at all. She is doing really well in that aspects of things.”

The Richardsons agree that there move back to the Sunshine State has exceeded their expectations when it comes to results on the track.  

While they moved north to further their opportunities in harness racing, they also did it with their two-year-old son Caleb in mind as well.

“It has been going really good,” Alanah said of the move.

“We are actually really enjoying it.

“I feel we have done the right thing. We wanted to give our little fella a better life as well, that was one of the main things.”

As well as her training and driving, Alanah also juggles the responsibility of having a young son with her at the races.

While she has great support from Adam and friends in the industry, she notes there could be more specific structures in place to support young parents within racing and if there were, it may entice more young women into the sport.

Regardless of whether it is training or driving, Alanah says there is no better feeling than scoring a victory on race day.

“I focus a lot on the training side of it now especially with the small numbers in work and I seem to be getting the results with them,” Alanah said.

“I love training and seeing that my hard work at home has paid off. But, I also love driving – there is no better feeling than driving a winner really.”