For Laura – it’s all in the name for Team Teal

Newlywed Victorian horsewoman Laura Wilson got off to a dream start under her new name with a winner as trainer and driver and carrying off the State’s first harness racing victory as well in the 2024 national Team Teal WomenCan fundraising initiative.

Wilson, who has more than 250 training and driving wins as Laura Crossland, won with four-year-old trotter Creatable (Creatine) in the opening race last Thursday night at Shepparton (Feb 1), the first since the registration of her new name from her marriage to trainer-driver Damian Wilson in December.

She then followed up with a victory the next night with improving three-year-old Alot Like Louie (Sweet Lou) at Bendigo.

“The teal pants arrived with my married name on them, and I realised I hadn’t finalized the paperwork with HRV to change my name, so I got onto them straight away, and it all came together to race as Laura Wilson on February 1,” she said.

“I probably should have done the name change earlier, if I knew I was going to get two winners in two days!” she joked.

The teal colors and pants of the 2024 initiative will be carried by female drivers across Australia and New Zealand from February 1 to March 15.  Paige Bevan became Queensland’s first Teal pants winner at Redcliffe on the same day, on the Grant Dixon-trained Stompem (Christian Cullen) in the Ladbrokes Communities Pace. And in NSW Hannah Rixon got the job done in Race 1 at Penrith on February 1, with Rocksie Rock (Rock N Roll Heaven) for Billy Muscat.

As part of the partnership with WomenCan, various state bodies and Tabcorp give a donation for every race won by Team Teal. Further funds are raised in various activities by local harness racing clubs, businesses and reinswomen.

All funds raised will go towards more ANZGOG’s gynaecological cancer clinical research and education programs to advance research and save lives.

Click here for the Team Teal website and more information on Team Teal.

And while all wins by female drivers in Australasia take on extra significance during Team Teal, it’s safe to say Wilson’s win on Creatable at just his third start was extra special.

The trotter was his own worst enemy at his most recent run at Shepparton in January when he galloped away, but more than made amends in his death-seat win less than a week later.

“I threw him in the deep end at his first start in a four-win trot, but I was pretty happy with how we went finishing fourth; it was disappointing him messing up at his next start because he just never gallops,” Wilson said.

“But I don’t mind him – his mum was 18 when she had him, and he was her last foal, but I think he will be okay.  He felt good in his win at Shepparton.”

Creatable’s dam, Springhassprung (Straphanger), is out of a half-sister to Sundon, Sundon’s Sister (Gee Whiz).

Wilson was also thrilled with the performance of Alot Like Louie the following night at Bendigo.

“I liked him a lot last year as a two-year-old.  I couldn’t believe he didn’t win a race (Alot Like Louie weighed in at 10 of his 13 2yo starts),” she said.

“He was the quietest colt you could get but we decided to geld him when we turned him out.  He had eight weeks off, but right from the day he came back this time he was a lot different.

“He just wants to savage the line now and get past them.  He’s always been super-fast, but his win the other night showed he’s got a bit of toughness about him as well.”

Damian and Laura work a team of 16 between them at Byrneside, south of Shepparton, with Laura full time at the horses, and Damian combining stable duties and freelance driving with running his own mowing and gardening service.

For complete race results, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink