And the 24-year-old from Heathcote is experiencing just that, having notched up a Victorian-leading 16 wins during this year's Team Teal campaign.

Founded by popular harness racing identity Duncan McPherson OAM, from Aldebaran Park stud, Team Teal is the Australian and New Zealand harness racing industry's initiative to raise awareness about ovarian cancer.

It also raises valuable funds, with the sport's various state and region governing bodies and their betting partners donating money for each win by a female driver from February 1 to mid-March.

In Victoria, French has led the charge in 2022 with a torrent of winners.

The Group 1-winning driver was quick out of the gates with a double on the opening night at Mildura.

A victory the following day aboard the David Abrahams-trained Hateitwhenyourrite handed French the outright lead on the Team Teal leaderboard, after Danielle Hill also scored a double at Mildura the previous night.

She has not been headed since and has even added to the tally in Tasmania by steering the Rodney Ashwood-trained Lorimermajor to a win at Carrick on Sunday night.

French said she found plenty of motivation and joy in being able to score a win in teal pants and drive home an important message on women's health at the same time.

"It's such a good incentive to hit the line first. It's still a win, but it means a lot more," she said.

"It gives you a lot of drive and determination.

"I probably wouldn't say aggression, but it's definitely a lot more competitive during teal time.

"I love it. It's been a great couple of weeks."

with eight meetings to go until the campaign winds up for 2022, French will have more than a few chances to add to her tally, starting at Shepparton today, where she has five drives at a meeting marking International Women's Day.

Eight of the races are named after past or present female harness racing icons, including veteran Bendigo-based trainer, educator and former world-record holding driver Roma Pocock and world's most winningest horsewoman Kerryn Manning, who has been an inspiration and influence not only on French, but the sport's ever-growing ranks of female drivers.

Aside from the magnificent promotion of ovarian cancer awareness and the funds raised by every female-driven winner, Team Teal has well and truly shown the spotlight of the depth and contribution of Australia's female driving ranks.

"It's unbelievable the competition the girls put up against the boys," French said.

"At Echuca the other night (February 26), I got a double and drove the winner of the first two races and then (Bendigo's) Ellen Tormey drove the next two, so the first four races went to the females.

"It just proves how strong the competition is out there.

"They probably don't get as much recognition as they should out there on the race track, but they should definitely get a lot for how heavily involved they are.

"When you see the number of female trainers going around now, that's increasing as well as the drivers.

"Some people think it's probably male-dominated, but the females do do a lot and it wouldn't be a sport without them."

French pointed to the likes of her peers Kerryn Manning and Kate Gath as evidence of the great things being achieved in harness racing by females.

"Kez is just phenomenal and has won more races than any female driver (in the world) and Kate Gath averages something like three metro wins a meeting on Saturday nights, which is unbelievable," she said.

"Obviously the females stand out more at the moment with the teal pants, but they are doing great things on a regular basis."

French, the daughter of Heathcote harness racing trainer and well-known former footballer Terry French, said while the likes of Manning and Gath were undoubted influences on her career, there have certainly been bigger ones.

"I was sort of the son dad never had growing up and I just got into the horses and went from there," she said.

"But it was probably (former Bendigo trainer, now Romsey-based) Chris Svanosio who has had the biggest influence on my driving.

"He gave me all the do's and don'ts early on and cradled me a little bit until I left him.

"He's someone I am so grateful for, he doesn't have to put me on his horses, but he pops me on."

An especially pleasing aspect of her Team Teal performance to date for French, and reflective of her wider career, is the number of winners she has driven for trainer outside of her and Alex Ashwood's Bendigo stable..

As gracious and appreciative as she is talented in the sulky, French is eternally grateful for the opportunities, which have helped catapult her to 23 Victorian wins so far this season following a career-best 68 last year.

"Driving for a variety of trainers has been amazing. David Abrahams got me on a trotter that I've managed to win two on during the campaign," she said.

"I couldn't be more grateful.

"Still holding my three-point claim helps and with dual meetings on some days, that also helps as one group of drivers generally go to one meeting and another group goes to the other. That way you tend to pick up a couple of extra drives.

"I do like saying I'm not going through a purple patch, I'm going through a teal patch," she added with a laugh.

"But it would be nice if the form hangs around for a bit longer."

"I can't complain. Last year I was happy to get a winner every two weeks, now I'm lucky enough to be getting two to three a week, which is unreal.

"Obviously I couldn't do that without the staff at home and the horses Albie and I have got behind us.

"Albie has obviously had plenty of faith in me to put me on whichever horse, wherever and it's really helped."

The highlight so far this year for French was her Group 2 win aboard La Serena in the Vicbred Platinum Trotting Mares Sprint Championship at Melton early last month.

Sadly for French and trainer Ashwood, the fast-emerging trotting mare had to be retired after she suffered a fractured splint bone in her near side front leg.

"That was heartbreaking, but we've actually just got a hold of her little sister Cote De Or," French said.

"She had one start for Anton (Golino) and she galloped and then she went to Kate and Andy Gath and they couldn't get her to trot.

"She raced for us at Maryborough the other day, she went around favourite and ran second, but I didn't pull the plugs out or anything. We just wanted her to trot and she did.

"She's been faultless."

The young mare will have her second start for the stable at Bendigo on Wednesday night.

An obvious bright spark for the Ashwood stable is the return to work of star Group 1 winner Parisian Artiste.

"He is down at Rita Burnett's in Kilmore, but should be back here within a month or six weeks," French said.

"Hopefully, he'll have a few light runs and maybe go out for a few more weeks - it depends how he handles those first few runs.

"Then we will line him up for the bigger races at the end of the season."

For French, who ticked off her first Group race win last February aboard Aldebaran Alissa, who is part-owned by Duncan McPherson, and also her first Group 1 aboard Parisian Artiste 10 months later, topping the teal tally board would be another high point in a career that has suddenly churned out plenty of highlights over the past two years.

"It would be nice to stay on top. I've come close to getting run over a couple of times," she said.

"Friday's double at Yarra Valley gave me another nice kick-along, so hopefully I can stay there.

"I got three teal wins last year and that was my best year before this one. I'm happy playing my part."

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