Harness racing: Unbeaten trotter Keayang Zahara faces ‘real test' stepping into open-aged racing for the first time
Unbeaten trotting mare Keayang Zahara will be at her most vulnerable when she returns from a lengthy spell at Melton on Saturday night.
The four-year-old boasts 14 wins, including seven at Group 1 level, is the best young trotter Australia has seen for decades.
Keayang Zahara hasn't raced since thrashing her rivals in the Group 1 NZ Trotting Derby in Christchurch on December 6.
Despite stepping into open-aged racing for the first time, Keayang Zahara will be straight into the deep end against some proven older Group 1 stars, headed by Im Ready Jet and Great Southern Star winner Watts Up Partytime.
Co-trainer Paddy Lee said a range of factors made this Keayang Zahara's biggest test yet.
'She's first-up, it's a sprint and she's against some quality, hardened older horses. It's a real test,' he said.
'Under the handicapping system, there's no easy transition from racing her against her own age. It's straight into free-for-alls and against strong opposition.'
Lee said he and mother Marg, who co-trains Keayang Zahara, aren't overly worried about her unbeaten streak.
'Sure you'd love them to keep winning, but that means more to others than us. We know it'll come to an end, it could be this week,' he said.
'Maybe it's lucky Mum and I are quite relaxed people. I'm not saying we won't be a bit nervous by race time, but we're realistic, too.'
Caution aside, Lee said Keayang Zahara was ready to resume.
'She's as ready as we can get her without a race,' he said. 'We normally don't like to give our horses too hard a trial at Terang because the surface is quite heavy, but we tried to treat her trial last week like a race because we knew she was going straight into a strong race.
'All the signs are good at home. I wouldn't say she's grown much during the break, but she's certainly filled out.
'I think that's just going to be her, she's a really athletic, long and lanky sort of mare.'
Everyone put your hands together for Keayang Zahara ðŸ'�
The daughter of Volstead makes it 14 starts for 14 wins taking out the 2024 Garrards New Zealand Trotting Derby in the hands of Jason Lee for trainer Margaret Lee @AddingtonNZ | @HarnessRacingNZ | @WoodlandsStudNZ pic.twitter.com/54zdsQCjv5
— Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) December 6, 2024
Lee's cousin, Glen Craven, will replace Jason Lee and drive Keayang Zahara for the first time on Saturday.
'That's Jase's call. We all love sharing the load and opportunities down here and Jase wanted Glen to have a few drives on the mare,' he said.
Craven will stay aboard when Keayang Zahara heads to Sydney to chase more Group 1 glory in Saturday week's $100,000 Macarthur Mile at Menangle.
'I think the plan is for Glen to drive for a while and then Jase to get back aboard for the Brisbane (Inter Dominion) series,' Lee said.
Keayang Zahara isn't renowned for her gate speed and has barrier three on Saturday night. Im Ready Jet (two) and Watts Up Partytime (four) are either side of her.
'We just hope she isn't too fresh and doesn't get fired up with all the speed around her at the start,' Lee said.
'We're going there happy with where she's at, but also knowing it'll be quite a challenge to start her season.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
11 hours ago
- The Australian
Kin's Classic catch has Jones primed for Group 1 breakthrough
Queensland jockey Angela Jones warmed up for her upcoming Group 1 assignment with a well-executed ride on Kin to take out the Gai Waterhouse Classic (1200m) at Ipswich on Saturday. The impressive ride for powerhouse stable Goldolphin was another confidence boost for Jones as she hunts the first Group 1 of her career after going agonisingly close in the recent Kingsford Smith Cup when denied by a brilliant come-from-behind ride from superstar hoop James McDonald on Joliestar. The victory also narrowed the gap in the metro jockeys' premiership race as Jones moved to 56 wins, just three behind Emily Lang, who triumphed earlier on The Right Way in a Benchmark 78 over 2500m. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! It is fitting that Jones won the $160,000 contest named in honour of racing royalty Gai Waterhouse given that the 24-year-old and Lang are dominating this year's Brisbane jockeys' premiership. Jones said she was 'over the moon' that she could notch a win in the royal blue colours of Godolphin, with top trainer James Cummings about to end his long association with the racing giant before heading to Hong Kong next year. READ: 'He's found his home': Flash Aah springs Ipswich Cup upset She will ride Floozie in next Saturday's $700,000 Group 1 Tatt's Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm, where the Tony Gollan-trained mare is the second favourite at $4.60 behind Chris Waller's Firestorm ($3.60), which finished third behind Floozie in last week's Group 2 Dane Ripper. Kin finished just under a length ahead of Countyourblessings ($21) and hot favourite Gerringong ($2.80), which was trapped wide for most of the race after starting from barrier 12. 'I'm very grateful to have rides on these colours, let alone on chances in Listed races,' Jones said about jumping aboard five-year-old mare Kin. 'I'm over the moon that I could get the job done and the blinkers really sharpened her up today. 'We had a beautiful run from a good gate and I thought my job was done when she was travelling so well in the early stages. 'Once I peeled out she had a beautiful turn-of-foot and she put them away quite impressively.' Asked about the Tatt's Tiara, Jones said: 'Sometimes it slips my mind and then I think about it and realise that the (winter) carnival is still here and hopefully we can knock off that Group 1 this year, it'd be great. 'Hopefully we can keep the roll on.' READ: 'That's their Melbourne Cup': Dolan delivers on Oughton in Eye Liner Stable representative Camille Fitton described Jones' performance as 'the perfect ride'. 'Angela has been helping us out a lot and she deserved that win,' Fitton said. 'She does some gallops for us and some trips to the beach so we are happy that she got the win today. 'She had the perfect ride. We were thinking that she (Kin) would be sharper today but she just needed a little boost with blinkers and it just worked out really well for.'
News.com.au
15 hours ago
- News.com.au
Star Queensland Angela Jones produces perfect ride to steer Kin to victory in the Gai Waterhouse Classic
Queensland jockey Angela Jones warmed up for her upcoming Group 1 assignment with a well-executed ride on Kin to take out the Gai Waterhouse Classic (1200m) at Ipswich on Saturday. The impressive ride for powerhouse stable Goldolphin was another confidence boost for Jones as she hunts the first Group 1 of her career after going agonisingly close in the recent Kingsford Smith Cup when denied by a brilliant come-from-behind ride from superstar hoop James McDonald on Joliestar. The victory also narrowed the gap in the metro jockeys' premiership race as Jones moved to 56 wins, just three behind Emily Lang, who triumphed earlier on The Right Way in a Benchmark 78 over 2500m. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! It is fitting that Jones won the $160,000 contest named in honour of racing royalty Gai Waterhouse given that the 24-year-old and Lang are dominating this year's Brisbane jockeys' premiership. Jones said she was 'over the moon' that she could notch a win in the royal blue colours of Godolphin, with top trainer James Cummings about to end his long association with the racing giant before heading to Hong Kong next year. She will ride Floozie in next Saturday's $700,000 Group 1 Tatt's Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm, where the Tony Gollan-trained mare is the second favourite at $4.60 behind Chris Waller's Firestorm ($3.60), which finished third behind Floozie in last week's Group 2 Dane Ripper. Kin finished just under a length ahead of Countyourblessings ($21) and hot favourite Gerringong ($2.80), which was trapped wide for most of the race after starting from barrier 12. A strong finish from Kin sees her take the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at @IpswichTurfClub for @JamesCummings88! @godolphin @RaceQLD — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025 'I'm very grateful to have rides on these colours, let alone on chances in Listed races,' Jones said about jumping aboard five-year-old mare Kin. 'I'm over the moon that I could get the job done and the blinkers really sharpened her up today. 'We had a beautiful run from a good gate and I thought my job was done when she was travelling so well in the early stages. 'Once I peeled out she had a beautiful turn-of-foot and she put them away quite impressively.' Asked about the Tatt's Tiara, Jones said: 'Sometimes it slips my mind and then I think about it and realise that the (winter) carnival is still here and hopefully we can knock off that Group 1 this year, it'd be great. 'Hopefully we can keep the roll on.' Stable representative Camille Fitton described Jones' performance as 'the perfect ride'. 'Angela has been helping us out a lot and she deserved that win,' Fitton said. 'She does some gallops for us and some trips to the beach so we are happy that she got the win today. 'She had the perfect ride. We were thinking that she (Kin) would be sharper today but she just needed a little boost with blinkers and it just worked out really well for.'
The Advertiser
16 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Minjee Lee poised for Women's PGA Championship push
A relieved Minjee Lee has overcome more brutal conditions to remain equal second at the halfway point of the Women's PGA Championship in sweltering Texas. On a day when the average score soared as high as the mercury to almost 77, Lee carved out an even-par second round of 72 to stay strong at three under for the championship. The one-time world No.2 trails Thailand's now-world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul by three shots entering the weekend climax after the superstar Thai shot to six under with a late flurry. Chasing a maiden major, Thitikul birdied her last two holes in a second-round two-under 70 at PGA Frisco's Fields Ranch East course. The 22-year-old one-time world No.1 will carry the 36-hole lead into a major for only the second time, having tied for 12th after being the halfway pacesetter at the 2024 Chevron Championship. "I feel really good," Thitikul said. "To be honest, I just said to my coach if anybody can shoot under par today, that player will be really, really great - and I'm shooting two under." Playing as close to a home game as the Perth-raised, Dallas-based Lee gets, the Australian offset three early bogeys with three birdies to stay firmly in the mix for a third major title of her own. Significantly, unlike the first round when she dropped two shots in the last three holes, Lee hung tough down the stretch with three back-nine birdies after slipping four strokes behind at one stage. "I started a little bit shaky. Turned in two over but I knew there were a few opportunities on the (back) nine to make a couple birdies," she said. "I just tried to stay patient out there. It was really windy and quite hard to even hold the greens on some of them. "So I just tried to stay within myself and just be smart and play to my advantages." Her late rally left Lee level with Japan's Rio Takeda, who carded a one-under 71 to be tied for second. The pair are one shot ahead of sentimental favourite Lexi Thompson. The American continues to revel since retiring from fulltime professional golf, Thompson climbing to fourth with a two-under round on Friday morning (Saturday AEST). Japan's Chisato Iwai and American Auston Kim, who both posted second-round 72s, are the only other players in red numbers at one under par. World No.1 Nelly Korda (74) is tied for 16th at two over after managing only one birdie for the day. Steph Kyriacou (75) is the next best of the Australians, one shot behind Korda, at three over and equal 25th. World No.8 Hannah Green is another stroke back after producing the shot of the day, a hole-out eagle at the par-5 13th, in a rollercoaster round of 74 that also featured a double bogey, four bogeys, two birdies and 10 pars. At five over after a 74-75 start, Karis Davidson also earned a weekend tee time after taking a sabbatical from golf last year to complete an aged and disability care course on the Gold Coast. At seven over, fellow Australians Gabriela Ruffels (77-74), Hira Naveed (75-76) and Grace Kim (73-78) all survived the cut by a shot. A relieved Minjee Lee has overcome more brutal conditions to remain equal second at the halfway point of the Women's PGA Championship in sweltering Texas. On a day when the average score soared as high as the mercury to almost 77, Lee carved out an even-par second round of 72 to stay strong at three under for the championship. The one-time world No.2 trails Thailand's now-world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul by three shots entering the weekend climax after the superstar Thai shot to six under with a late flurry. Chasing a maiden major, Thitikul birdied her last two holes in a second-round two-under 70 at PGA Frisco's Fields Ranch East course. The 22-year-old one-time world No.1 will carry the 36-hole lead into a major for only the second time, having tied for 12th after being the halfway pacesetter at the 2024 Chevron Championship. "I feel really good," Thitikul said. "To be honest, I just said to my coach if anybody can shoot under par today, that player will be really, really great - and I'm shooting two under." Playing as close to a home game as the Perth-raised, Dallas-based Lee gets, the Australian offset three early bogeys with three birdies to stay firmly in the mix for a third major title of her own. Significantly, unlike the first round when she dropped two shots in the last three holes, Lee hung tough down the stretch with three back-nine birdies after slipping four strokes behind at one stage. "I started a little bit shaky. Turned in two over but I knew there were a few opportunities on the (back) nine to make a couple birdies," she said. "I just tried to stay patient out there. It was really windy and quite hard to even hold the greens on some of them. "So I just tried to stay within myself and just be smart and play to my advantages." Her late rally left Lee level with Japan's Rio Takeda, who carded a one-under 71 to be tied for second. The pair are one shot ahead of sentimental favourite Lexi Thompson. The American continues to revel since retiring from fulltime professional golf, Thompson climbing to fourth with a two-under round on Friday morning (Saturday AEST). Japan's Chisato Iwai and American Auston Kim, who both posted second-round 72s, are the only other players in red numbers at one under par. World No.1 Nelly Korda (74) is tied for 16th at two over after managing only one birdie for the day. Steph Kyriacou (75) is the next best of the Australians, one shot behind Korda, at three over and equal 25th. World No.8 Hannah Green is another stroke back after producing the shot of the day, a hole-out eagle at the par-5 13th, in a rollercoaster round of 74 that also featured a double bogey, four bogeys, two birdies and 10 pars. At five over after a 74-75 start, Karis Davidson also earned a weekend tee time after taking a sabbatical from golf last year to complete an aged and disability care course on the Gold Coast. At seven over, fellow Australians Gabriela Ruffels (77-74), Hira Naveed (75-76) and Grace Kim (73-78) all survived the cut by a shot. A relieved Minjee Lee has overcome more brutal conditions to remain equal second at the halfway point of the Women's PGA Championship in sweltering Texas. On a day when the average score soared as high as the mercury to almost 77, Lee carved out an even-par second round of 72 to stay strong at three under for the championship. The one-time world No.2 trails Thailand's now-world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul by three shots entering the weekend climax after the superstar Thai shot to six under with a late flurry. Chasing a maiden major, Thitikul birdied her last two holes in a second-round two-under 70 at PGA Frisco's Fields Ranch East course. The 22-year-old one-time world No.1 will carry the 36-hole lead into a major for only the second time, having tied for 12th after being the halfway pacesetter at the 2024 Chevron Championship. "I feel really good," Thitikul said. "To be honest, I just said to my coach if anybody can shoot under par today, that player will be really, really great - and I'm shooting two under." Playing as close to a home game as the Perth-raised, Dallas-based Lee gets, the Australian offset three early bogeys with three birdies to stay firmly in the mix for a third major title of her own. Significantly, unlike the first round when she dropped two shots in the last three holes, Lee hung tough down the stretch with three back-nine birdies after slipping four strokes behind at one stage. "I started a little bit shaky. Turned in two over but I knew there were a few opportunities on the (back) nine to make a couple birdies," she said. "I just tried to stay patient out there. It was really windy and quite hard to even hold the greens on some of them. "So I just tried to stay within myself and just be smart and play to my advantages." Her late rally left Lee level with Japan's Rio Takeda, who carded a one-under 71 to be tied for second. The pair are one shot ahead of sentimental favourite Lexi Thompson. The American continues to revel since retiring from fulltime professional golf, Thompson climbing to fourth with a two-under round on Friday morning (Saturday AEST). Japan's Chisato Iwai and American Auston Kim, who both posted second-round 72s, are the only other players in red numbers at one under par. World No.1 Nelly Korda (74) is tied for 16th at two over after managing only one birdie for the day. Steph Kyriacou (75) is the next best of the Australians, one shot behind Korda, at three over and equal 25th. World No.8 Hannah Green is another stroke back after producing the shot of the day, a hole-out eagle at the par-5 13th, in a rollercoaster round of 74 that also featured a double bogey, four bogeys, two birdies and 10 pars. At five over after a 74-75 start, Karis Davidson also earned a weekend tee time after taking a sabbatical from golf last year to complete an aged and disability care course on the Gold Coast. At seven over, fellow Australians Gabriela Ruffels (77-74), Hira Naveed (75-76) and Grace Kim (73-78) all survived the cut by a shot. A relieved Minjee Lee has overcome more brutal conditions to remain equal second at the halfway point of the Women's PGA Championship in sweltering Texas. On a day when the average score soared as high as the mercury to almost 77, Lee carved out an even-par second round of 72 to stay strong at three under for the championship. The one-time world No.2 trails Thailand's now-world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul by three shots entering the weekend climax after the superstar Thai shot to six under with a late flurry. Chasing a maiden major, Thitikul birdied her last two holes in a second-round two-under 70 at PGA Frisco's Fields Ranch East course. The 22-year-old one-time world No.1 will carry the 36-hole lead into a major for only the second time, having tied for 12th after being the halfway pacesetter at the 2024 Chevron Championship. "I feel really good," Thitikul said. "To be honest, I just said to my coach if anybody can shoot under par today, that player will be really, really great - and I'm shooting two under." Playing as close to a home game as the Perth-raised, Dallas-based Lee gets, the Australian offset three early bogeys with three birdies to stay firmly in the mix for a third major title of her own. Significantly, unlike the first round when she dropped two shots in the last three holes, Lee hung tough down the stretch with three back-nine birdies after slipping four strokes behind at one stage. "I started a little bit shaky. Turned in two over but I knew there were a few opportunities on the (back) nine to make a couple birdies," she said. "I just tried to stay patient out there. It was really windy and quite hard to even hold the greens on some of them. "So I just tried to stay within myself and just be smart and play to my advantages." Her late rally left Lee level with Japan's Rio Takeda, who carded a one-under 71 to be tied for second. The pair are one shot ahead of sentimental favourite Lexi Thompson. The American continues to revel since retiring from fulltime professional golf, Thompson climbing to fourth with a two-under round on Friday morning (Saturday AEST). Japan's Chisato Iwai and American Auston Kim, who both posted second-round 72s, are the only other players in red numbers at one under par. World No.1 Nelly Korda (74) is tied for 16th at two over after managing only one birdie for the day. Steph Kyriacou (75) is the next best of the Australians, one shot behind Korda, at three over and equal 25th. World No.8 Hannah Green is another stroke back after producing the shot of the day, a hole-out eagle at the par-5 13th, in a rollercoaster round of 74 that also featured a double bogey, four bogeys, two birdies and 10 pars. At five over after a 74-75 start, Karis Davidson also earned a weekend tee time after taking a sabbatical from golf last year to complete an aged and disability care course on the Gold Coast. At seven over, fellow Australians Gabriela Ruffels (77-74), Hira Naveed (75-76) and Grace Kim (73-78) all survived the cut by a shot.
