Taleah McMullen shines in annual Team Teal race

By Jordan Gerrans

As a former Team Teal ambassador, Queensland driver Taleah McMullen says it is fitting that she would finally win the annual Team Teal Female Drivers Invitation race for 2024.

The 22-year-old from the famous McMullen harness racing clan will have the teal bragging rights for the next year after claiming the popular event on Saturday evening at harness racing headquarters in the Sunshine State.

McMullen did so as she partnered the Doug Hewitt-trained Infinity Beach to an all-the-way stylish victory.

The annual Team Teal Drivers Invitation race brings together the leading female drivers from across the state to celebrate the campaign coming to a close.

The Team Teal campaign raises funds for ovarian cancer research through February and March.

McMullen has driven in the race on a number of occasions in recent years and was smiling post-race on Saturday evening after finally landing the coveted prize.

“It is awesome to have a ladies race and showcase our abilities,” McMullen said.

“’It is pretty special to win this race.

“I have been racing in the Team Teal race up here for a few years now and I have not won it before, so it was good to get a nice horse and win this race.”

The Team Teal Drivers Invitation race has a perpetual trophy and is always contested by the lady drivers while they don their teal pants.

McMullen has been one of the leading drivers in the Team Teal series dating back to February 1 alongside Paige Bevan and Chloe Butler.

Racing Queensland’s Senior Racing Manager for Harness David Brick says it is an honour for the state body to be involved in the successful Team Teal campaign every year.

“Two out of three women die from ovarian cancer and as Racing Queensland, we are delighted to be associated with such a great cause," Brick said.

“Hopefully we can go bigger again next year and raise more funds.”

Queensland harness racing form analyst Darren Clayton was on track on Saturday evening at Albion Park and was glad to see a sea of teal.

In conjunction with WomenCan, Team Teal donations will support the Australian and New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group’s education and prevention program – Survivors Teaching Students – bringing ovarian cancer survivors into the classroom of medical students to share their experiences.

“The ladies really embrace it,” Clayton said.

“It really forms a great base for sponsorship and getting charity fund-raising for the WomenCan foundation.

“All in all, what it delivers to the community is huge for all the female drivers in their teal pants and it goes down to the mini trotters as well, they all get behind it.

“It is really a part of the calendar now and it really starting to become that the ladies get involved in wholeheartedly.”

McMullen has been an ambassador for the annual campaign in previous years and understands the plight of Ovarian Cancer suffers intimately.

“It is a great campaign and we all love being a part of it,” McMullen said.

“It brings great awareness to Ovarian Cancer and we all get involved.

“I think we are going pretty good with the tally for the year but I just go out there and try and win as much as I can with the teal pants on."

Pacer Infinity Beach has settled into Queensland life well with the Hewitt barn after the horseman recently relocated north.

Going into the event, McMullen thought Infinity Beach had enough runs on the board to be competitive and she was pleased to score by almost eight metres.

“The horse had been racing well in midweek races that have still been pretty tough,” McMullen said.

“Now coming to a mares qualifier race on a Saturday night for the first time, I drew quite well and I was hoping I might be able to get the lead.

“And, once we found the front, I was quietly confident she had been racing well enough to take them all the way.”

The win became Hewitt’s first metropolitan training victory since relocating to the Sunshine State.

Click here for more information on the 2024 Team Teal campaign.