Breakthrough makes Tassie Teal-riffic

Wins are always worthy of celebration, but Tasmanian trainer-driver Samantha Gangell couldn't have been happier when she finally broke the Tassie hoodoo for the WomenCan harness racing Team Teal.

Gangell is the Team Teal Tasmanian ambassador for the six-week campaign which raises money and awareness about Ovarian and women's cancers. Women across Australia and New Zealand are wearing teal driving pants for the duration of the campaign, and harness racing industry bodies donate a minimum of $200 for each win by a female driver.

At the halfway mark of the campaign, while Gangell was running plenty of seconds, neither she, nor any of her female Tasmanian colleagues could break through for the elusive win.

But Gangell is confident the tide will turn after her win on Friday night on six-year-old gelding The Deal (American Ideal – Tamara Hall (Real Desire) in the Geoffrey Smith Mobile at Devonport when, ironically, female drivers finished in the first three spots in the race.

"It was such a relief – the pressure was building, for sure!" Gangell said.

Team Teal is on the board in Tassie, thanks to Samantha Gangell and The Deal.

"There's definitely extra expectation when you are the Team Teal Ambassador, but I just couldn't seem to get across the line for the first three weeks," she laughed.

"Plenty of seconds, and some close-up seconds, too, but it was great to finally do it for (trainer) Ben Yole, because he's been fantastic in sponsoring me, and the Team Teal cause again this year."

Gangell admits she is "not really from a harness racing background".

"But with (successful trainer) Eric Jacobson my stepdad from the time I was six, I got to love it pretty quickly," Gangell said.

"When I finished school, I did a Bachelor of Psychological Science, which turned out to be not quite as interesting as I thought," she said.

"I started training horses while I was still at uni, and then when I finished, I decided against working in that field and started working full time in harness racing.

"I got my driver's licence a few years ago, and in the last year or so I've gone out on my own, but I still help Ben (Yole) out, including doing his social media.

"Realistically I know that horses are probably only ever really going to be a hobby for me down here, so I'm doing a business traineeship now, as a bit of a change in direction."

Gangell said the Tasmanian women were determined to now keep the ball rolling in the leadup to the State's major Team Teal fundraiser, at Hobart for the Tasmanian Pacing Cup on March 13.

"We've got quite a few women drivers now here in Tassie, and they're getting more drives, too. Hannah Van dongen is great, Bronte Miller is a young driver doing well, Natalie Emery goes around a lot and Georgia Hayward gets some drives too," she said.

"It's been great that Ben and some of the other trainers have been going out of their way to put us on during this campaign."

This Saturday night also sees the major Victorian fundraiser, the final of the Lyn McPherson memorial Breed for Speed series at TabCorp Park Melton.

Tickets are still available for the fundraising dinner at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/night-at-the-trots-2021-tickets-132877376811

All of the funds raised will support ANZGOG's prevention, education and research programs, helping fund nurses delivering treatments in new research sites in Australian hospitals, particularly in regional areas.

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura