Margaret Lee received Victoria’s highest accolade for female participants during Monday night’s Victorian Harness Racing Awards at Melton Entertainment Park.

Presented annually by The Angelique Club, the award celebrates exceptional achievement or service to harness racing by a woman. Recently, the award has been won by Marg Watson (2021), Anne-Maree Conroy (2022) and most recently Georgie Coram in 2023.

It was created in memory of trailblazer Pearl Kelly, who in 1916 became Australia’s first licensed reinswoman and later placed third on the Melbourne drivers’ premiership.

“It’s a great thrill to win this award because I know the ones before me have all been worthy winners,” a proud Lee said.

“I am so lucky to have all the workers that make me look good. If you don’t have the staff around you, you don’t get the results. So, what I have around me, what we have achieved, it’s not just me, it’s them.”

Margaret Lee was born into the sport, with harness racing in her blood. Her father Harold Craven was a long-time volunteer for the Terang club and a respected owner and breeder, while her brother Peter was a trainer and driver.

Margaret began her training career in 2000, notching her first win with Melita at Terang on March 14 of that year. Since then, she has built a reputation as one of the most accomplished and respected trainers in the country.

Her resume includes standout victories with Jilliby Nitro, winner of the $350,000 APG Final at Albion Park in 2019, and Jilliby Jitterbug, who claimed the $322,000 APG Final at Melton in 2015.

Lee has developed a long list of elite performers, including Chariots of Fire winner Jilliby Kung Fu, Inter Dominion heat winner and dual Grand Finalist Keayang Cullen, Treuer Memorial champion Keayang Steamer, and country cup star Code Bailey.

In 2023, she achieved a career highlight by qualifying three runners for the Inter Dominion Trotting Final in Sydney, with Keayang Chucky and Keayang Stuka finishing second and third respectively, and Aldebaran Vera also contesting the decider.

Lee now trains in partnership with her son Paddy, and together they have produced one of the sport’s current headline acts, Keayang Zahara. The daughter of Volstead is 15 from 16 on the track, with a remarkable seven Group 1 wins to her name.

Across her decorated career, Lee has trained more than 760 winners, collected 13 Group 1s in Australia plus 2 in New Zealand and amassed over $7.5 million in prizemoney. Her success has been built on a strong family foundation with husband Damien providing unwavering support, son Paddy now training alongside her, and son Jason, one of Australia’s premier drivers, regularly steering their stable stars. Nephew Glen also takes the reins for the team while a dedicated group at home plays a vital role in keeping the operation running smoothly.

Lee’s legacy is one of excellence, family and commitment to harness racing, attributes that make her a thoroughly deserving recipient of the 2024 Pearl Kelly Award.