By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
As Paige Bevan warms her horses up prior to race-start, she often thinks about loved family members who have passed on, or those that are absent – even more so at this time of the year.
So, when the Logan Village 21-year-old donned the teal strides for the fifth consecutive season at ‘The Triangle’ on Thursday (February), she again spared a thought for those who had lost their lives to ovarian and gynecological-related cancers.
“I’m very proud to wear the teal pants each year. Thankfully none of my family or friends have suffered from ovarian cancer, but my Pop (Claude Bevan) did die of lung cancer, so this time of year certainly puts life into perspective,” Bevan said.
“I often give them a wee thought prior to my drives before I switch into race mode. I think they would be proud of me,” she added.
Someone was beaming down on the Wagga Wagga born-and-educated, Bevan, at Redcliffe Paceway on Thursday afternoon (February 1) when she became Queensland’s first ‘Teal Campaign 2024’ winner in race five.
The astute reinswoman won behind the Grant Dixon trained, Stompem, who stormed home late to nail the Ladbrokes Communities NR51-55 Pace by a neck.
Bevan sat in the one-one early from gate eight with the son of Christian Cullen. They were then one-out-and-four-back at the bell, before hunting down the tear-away pacemaker down the back straight. The drive was perfectly timed with the 10-year-old gelding storming home late to get up and win in the shadows of the post.
It was Stompem’s 24th win in 232 starts. He’s also placed 38 times and banked $199,602 in purses. He has recorded a personal best 1:53.7-mile rate, but on Friday he stopped the clock in 1:58.6.
“I am really enjoying my driving at the moment, especially when I put on Grant’s colours. He always has his horses ready to go and when you ask them to do just that, they respond.
“Stompem might be 10, but he’s no exception. He’s still got a powerful sprint, and is real easy to drive. I think Grants a really good a driver and trainer. I know when I put his colours on I’ve got a good chance of winning,” Bevan said.
Thursday’s 2:30.3 triumph for the 2,040m mobile, was Bevan’s third win of the year, and comes on the back of her most successful season in six of driving.
In 2023 Bevan reined 33 winners from 344 starters. She also placed 83 times and banked a personal best $259,493.
That was 22 wins more than her previous best of 13 achieved in 2021. Since the 2018-2019 season Bevan has now had 64 career wins from 715 drives. She’s also placed 159 times and netted $451,589 in stakes.
Bevan said she put her run of success down to her lifestyle and growing experience.
“I’m only 21 but been driving for six seasons and every time you go out there you learn a bit more. You can’t beat race-day experience. I also enjoy driving at Redcliffe more than Albion Park because I feel you get more chance of winning from back in the field. A lot of my wins have come at ‘The Triangle’, and I think more trainers are giving me more opportunities because I’m growing in experience.
“My fiancé (Jonah Hutchison) is the main reason I’m doing so well. He gives me every opportunity to drive. We got engaged at Christmas time, and now have a nice team of 15 and since you last spoke to me in 2021. I feel the quality of our horses has also improved. Jonah and I watch a lot of race videos and he points out a lot of things about different horses,” Bevan said.
“It’s also an age thing, you just get better over time,” she added.
He’s Watching mare, Shez Notorious, is the stable star at Logan Village. The 5-year-old has won 15 of his 90 starts and banked $122,711 in purses.
“Jonah and I share the driving on her. She’s a wonderful mare, who won on a Saturday in the city just before Christmas. But everyone knows my all-time favourite horse is Blissfulday. He will always be special to me because I won my first ever drive behind him at Tamora (February 22, 2019), and then I had my first Queensland win thanks to him at Redcliffe (October 14, 2020).
“I just love him and still enjoy driving him. In fact, Blissful Day was a major reason why I took out her trainer’s licence in 2021,” said Bevan who has had two training successes and 11 placings from 66 starts.
The talented horsewoman said she loved driving the most, and was grateful that other trainers and owners were now recognising her talent in the sulky.
“I’m getting more outside drives which is really encouraging. I just want to keep improving. Keep getting better, and that way the wins will hopefully keep coming,” she said.
Bevan came to Queensland from New South Wales in September 2020.
“I really love living here in Queensland. We are close to the beach. It wasn’t easy progressing in Wagga. I’m just so grateful to Jonah and my family for all the support they have given me.”
Bevan said she got the racing bug off her father (Chris) and Grandad (Claude), who raced horses.
“You could say I was born into it. I left Kildare Catholic College in Wagga after Year 10 because I loved the horses too much.
“I got a job with Bernie Kelly and stayed with him for 14 months before Jonah offered me a job up here. I moved here to find more driving opportunities and Queensland has proven to be good for my career. Jonah and I are here to stay. We want to buy a home and property one day,” Bevan said.
TEAM TEAL CAMPAIGN 2024:
The campaign expanded from Victoria to New South Wales in 2016, to all Australian states in 2017 and internationally to New Zealand in 2018.
From February 1 to March 15, the annual Team Teal campaign will return, with the Queensland harness racing industry donating $200 on every occasion a reinswoman drives a winner in the Sunshine State.
In conjunction with WomenCan, Team Teal donations will support the Australian and New Zealand Gynecological Oncology Group’s education and prevention program – Survivors Teaching Students – bringing ovarian cancer survivors into the classroom of medical students to share their experiences.
The funds will provide support for patients to access gynecological cancer clinical trials, particularly in regional and remote areas, ensuring women have access to the best available care, irrespective of where they live.
Tabcorp will also contribute a further $200 for every triumph by a reinswoman in Queensland throughout the Team Teal campaign.
The 2023 campaign saw a record $15,400 raised, surpassing the previous year’s efforts by almost $2,000.
