So far, so good for star trotting mare Keayang Zahara’s marathon road trip to Brisbane.
The four-year-old left her Ecklin South stable near Terang at 1.30am Tuesday morning and has enjoyed a lengthy stopover at Peter and Cindy Rixon’s property, an hour south of Sydney, before starting the second leg of the trip to Brisbane.
“She’ll have had well over a day at the Rixon’s before she takes off again,” driver Jason Lee said.
“Matty Horsnell, our stable foreman, has taken her and he’s really pleased with how she’s handled it so far.
“We always planned to leave early in the week to be able to break the trip up.”
Keayang Zahara is slated to start the second leg of her road trip – 11 or 12 hours to Grant and Trista Dixon’s Tambourine stables – at midnight tonight.
“She’ll get in there around lunchtime tomorrow and can have the rest of the day settling in,” Lee said.
“Marg (Lee) and I are flying up tomorrow to meet her and look after her until the race.
“The plan is to give her and (Keayang) Lavita, who has travelled with her, some on Friday ahead of the race.”
Keayang Zahara is a commanding $1.10 favourite despite a back row draw (gate nine) to snare her 20th win from just 21 starts in Saturday night’s $150,000 Group 1 Great Square at Albion Park.
Victory would be a remarkable 10th at Group 1 level.
