Tayla French quick out of the gates for Team Teal

With Harness Racing Victoria and the TAB partnering to donate $400 towards ovarian cancer research for each winner driven by a female driver in Victoria from February 1 to March 15, French was quick to get both the fundraising and her own personal tally rolling with a double at Mildura on Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old, who was returning from a short one-week suspension, wasted no time in making her presence felt by steering Miss Social Media home in the opening race.

She was able to repeat the dose four races later aboard the ultra-impressive Malinjang.

Both mares are trained by her partner Alex Ashwood at Bendigo, with the five-year-old Malinjang making it three emphatic wins on the trot with another stirring 17.4m victory.

French emphasised it was great to be back in action, in particular, at a time of the season that means so much to all involved in the sport, especially the female drivers.

"It doesn't so much make you try harder, but it's more of an incentive to get over the line first in the months of February and up the middle of March," she said.

"It's good when you kick off on a good foot, it gives you a feeling you are going to have a pretty good month and a bit. It's a bit of a confidence booster.

"Hopefully that continues and I can maintain a good strike rate throughout."

French's opening night double, combined with one early at Cobram on Wednesday for Tatura trainer David Abrahams on Hateitwhenyourrite, means she has already matched last year's personal Team Teal tally of three.

One of those 2021 wins delivered the talented driver her first Group race success in the sulky, after steering the Chris Svanosio-trained Aldebaran Alissa to victory in the Group 3 Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed Silver Series Final.

Founded by Duncan McPherson - a part-owner of Aldebaran Alissa - the race was named after his late wife, who died from ovarian cancer, and whose memory serves as the inspiration for the Team Teal campaign.

Read more: Group race joy for French special on many fronts

Two wins on Tuesday night and one (so far) on Wednesday have boosted French's 2021 season tally to nine wins at a winning strike-rate of 26 per cent.

Success at Mildura continued an excellent run of form for both mares early this season.

Miss Social Media, by Betterthancheddar, has won three of four starts in 2022, her latest by 4.3m, while Malinjang, by Just Turf, has posted three-straight, after debuting for her new stable with a second at Swan Hill on January 11.

Ashwood and French could not be happier with how both horses are tracking.

"They are both going through their grades really well, but they are not on their mark as yet," she said.

"But the next few starts they will be, but hopefully they can get through them pretty quick.

"They are both nice little mares running around against the horses they are at the moment.

"Once they take that step out of that class it will be harder for them, but we will take that when it comes.

"(On Malinjang), she has probably caught us by surprise that one. She was a very cheap buy and we didn't know much about her, but she's come on leaps and bounds."

A little over a month after ticking off her first Group 1 win aboard Parisian Artiste in the Vicbreds on New Year's Eve, French is continuing to make the most of her opportunities, highlighted by nine wins, 10 placings and three fourths from 35 drives for stakes of $55,715.

"It's ticking along nicely - the week on the sidelines was a nice little break and a bit of a refresher," she said.

"I haven't had an overly lot amount of drivers compared with other people, but I've been getting a win here and there which has been good."

French will have the opportunity to add to her Team Teal haul when she partners the Ashwood-trained La Serena in the Group 2 Vicbred Platinum Trotting Mares Sprint Championship at Melton on Friday night.

The five-year-old mare and early $1.95 favourite will be chasing her third-straight win this year following victories early last month at Kilmore and Geelong.

The WomenCan Team Teal campaign is a partnership with the harness racing industry in Australia and New Zealand.

The industry's advocacy and support of Team Teal is a significant contributor to fundraising for women with ovarian cancer.

The harness racing industry is proud of the contribution made by female drivers and industry sponsors as it is one of the few sports with a balanced representation of women and men.

This makes supporting ANZGOG (Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group) to help women live better and live longer, very relevant.

From February 1 to March 15 each year, all Australian and New Zealand reinswomen race in teal pants to raise awareness and much-needed funds for women with ovarian cancer when they secure first across the finish line.

Funds raised support the Survivors Teaching Students Program.

To join the fight against ovarian cancer and to donate to Team Teal, click here

Locally, the Bendigo Harness Racing Club and Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association will run a dual-code night meeting in support of Team Teal on Thursday, February 10.

Read more: Bendigo racing clubs readying to teal up the track for ovarian cancer

Read more: Ellen Tormey targets Team Teal campaign success

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