As trotting superstar Keayang Zahara topped the $1m stake earnings mark in the Group 1 Cranbourne Trotters Cup on Saturday, she appears set to provide the Levarg Racing Group with a further windfall on Hunter Cup night.
Jason Lee enjoyed a trouble-free ride as the postilion behind the champion mare, who reeled off a 55.8 last 800 metres in effortless fashion to score from a gallant Rockinwithattitude in a mile rate of 1:58.2.
Keayang Zahara now boasts a Group 1 wins-to-race-starts ratio of a stunning 50 per cent.
From her 24 racetrack outings, Keayang Zahara has now chalked up 23 wins and 12 Group 1 triumphs.
Lee said he was conscious of Keayang Zahara negotiating the turns around the Cranbourne circuit.
“She was terrific. It’s not the easiest track and she obviously always corners really well, but we closed the Murphy up a little bit and put her in a bit of a longer bike tonight just to be safe,” Lee said.
“I probably just ran down the back a little bit so we didn’t have to maybe go flat out around the last bend, and she never put a foot wrong.”
As in most of her performances, Lee confirmed the winner could have gone quicker if he had so desired.
“She had a bit left, she was sort of doing it pretty easy,” he said.
Lee indicated Keayang Zahara’s next assignment will be the Great Southern Star, where she will be aiming to win the $500,000 Summer Of Glory bonus for her connections.
“That would be the logical thing to do now with the Great Southern Star being the heat into the final. It’s pretty unique and she’s never done that before, but I’m sure she will handle it fine,” he said.
“To go into the Great Southern Star with the two weeks between runs will be perfect.”
