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McMullen honoured to help cancer sufferers

7 March 2019

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By Duane Ranger

Saturday night’s Australian Female Drivers Championship at Albion Park could create a couple of milestones for ‘Team Teal’ pace-maker, Narissa McMullen, but the Fernvale 24-year-old knows exactly where it’s at.

“I have had family members with cancer and I’ve known other people who have had it too. It’s such a nasty disease. I am honoured to be able to help women cancer sufferers," McMullen said.

“I’d love to raise the most money for them. That would mean a lot."

McMullen is well aware that two out of every three women who suffer from ovarian cancer will die.

“Of course I want to win the Australian title, but I also want to do as much as I can for the Teal Campaign. We have had stalls and I’m also selling teal Hygain caps, with the $15 goes to the Women’s Cancer Foundation. I’ve also got them at Albion Park and Redcliffe. So winning more races on Saturday means a great deal to me,” McMullen said.

McMullen leads the national ‘Team Teal’ tally to date, with 20 winners since February 1, helping the Queensland campaign raise $9,800 going into the Thursday Redcliffe meeting.

At least another $1400 will go into the pool with seven heats of the Australian Female Drivers Champs scheduled for Saturday’s 9-race programme.

McMullen would also like to record two more wins at Albion Park.

“I think I’ve driven 698 winners in Queensland and more than 700 all-up. Luck will play a big part on Saturday night,” the modest horsewoman said.

McMullen, who swaps the teal for the maroon on Saturday, has a splendid book of drives and should end the 2019 ‘Team Teal” campaign as outright winner.

“Track knowledge might help a bit but I think it comes down to luck in the running. I have some nice drives. It would be a dream to win the Australian Women’s Drivers Champs after running midfield in Tasmania last year," she said.

“I love competing against the best and always want to win no matter where I’m driving, or who against."

She said she liked the drive behind the Kelli Dawson trained Cool Scooter in race three.

Dawson, McMullen's cousin, ironically, is Queensland’s other competitor in the 12-strong Ladies Championship.

“He went well last week winning first-up for Kelli after a three month spell. He should be improved by that run because this will be just his second run here since arriving from New Zealand," McMullen said.

She also though the Jack Butler trained Shards Halo had the economical second row draw to go close in race one and then a race later said the consistent Kerry Smith trained Annika Magic had the nice front-row draw (4) to be prominent.

"It's hard to single any one of them out really because they all have good form. The drawers were good to me," McMullen said.

"Left A Terror, who is going for his fourth straight win, is also a chance despite his wide draw, in race seven," she said.

McMullen, the second eldest in a prominent McMullen harness racing family, lives in Fernvale and works from her parent’s, John and Jennette’s stable at Glamorgan Vale.

She will be up against:

Kelli Dawson (QLD), Hannah Vandongen (TAS), Samantha Gangell (TAS), Kerry Ann Turner (NSW), Ellen Rixon (NSW), Madeline Young (WA), Emily Suvaljko (WA), Lisa Ryan (SA), Kaela Hryhorec (SA), Kima Frenning (VIC), and Kerryn Manning (VIC).

In addition to the prestigious Australian title, the winner will also receive a trip for two to Hamilton Island thanks to the support of long-time industry supporters, Kevin and Kaye Seymour.