Boom filly Keayang Zahara is set to bypass a Queensland campaign despite the riches on offer.
Maintaining her undefeated status from four starts with a slashing New South Wales Derby triumph at Club Menangle last night, Keayang Zahara was instantly invited to contest The Great Square Trot.
Scheduled to be conducted at Albion Park on July 13, the three and four-year-old feature carries a purse of $150,000, plus a $25,000 for a three-year-old winner!
Disappointingly programmed on the same night, the Queensland Trotters’ Oaks and Derby – both worth $31,600 – are set to be run the following week.
With the daughter of Volstead eligible for majors such as the Need For Speed, Breeders’ Crown and Vicbred Super Series, close to home, trainer Marg Lee stated it is “unlikely” Keayang Zahara will be taken to the Sunshine State.
“At this stage she will go home for a break,” Lee said. “We’ve been invited to the race in Queensland, but while we will think about it, it is unlikely she will go.
“She has plenty of big races in Victoria against her own sex as well as the Derby if we want to go in that, so Queensland isn’t a strong option.
“You can’t go in everything, plus she can go to Queensland next year as a four-year-old when the program isn’t as busy.”
Beginning solidly from the pole to be settled behind the leader, Pinnie, Keayang Zahara was shuffled through the field to be three-back along the pegs as Agent Black and Maximus Meridius worked to the front.
Sitting second last and desperate for an opening along the back straight, driver Jason Lee forced his way into the clear before taking Keayang Zahara four-wide around the home turn.
Sustaining a phenomenal sprint, Keayang Zahara completed a three-and-a-half metre victory from Pinnie, with Agent Black 18 metres away third.
“That was a super run,” Lee said. “She is a special filly.
“She did that one day in a trial, which included pacers, where she was near last and just rounded them up so easily and I thought at the time ‘gee, she can go’!
“Everything she has done so far has been on raw ability and I can’t see any reason why she won’t keep getting better with racing.”
Rating 2:01 over 2300 metres, Keayang Zahara joined an elite sorority of fillies to complete the NSW Blue Riband double having won last weekend’s Oaks.
Only five members of the ‘fairer sex’ have captured the two since the Oaks was added to the calendar in 1999.
Jauriol was the ground breaker in 2005, followed by Right Interest in 2006, Habibti in 2013 and Rockinwithattitude last season.
