Jason Lee can’t wait to get back to Sydney with star trotter Keayang Chucky.

Lee insists the Inter Dominion runner-up has “gone to the next level” and is primed for a rematch with The Locomotive, who beat him in that Inter Dominion final, and NZ’s top trotter, Oscar Bonavena, in the Group 1 Hammerhead Mile at Menangle on March 8.

Keayang Chucky will tune-up for the trip when he tackles tomorrow (Saturday) night’s Group 2 Australasian Trotting Championship (2760m).

The race is one of the major features on the card alongside the three Lyn McPherson Memorial Breed For Speed events, which are run as part of the annual Team Teal fundraiser function at Melton Entertainment Park.

“You hope when you take a horse away to a series like that (Inter Dominion) that it’ll help develop them and it certainly has with this guy,” Lee said.

“He was good through the series and it was great to run second (to The Locomotive) in the final, but I’m sure he’s better now. He’s gone to the next level.

“It gives us confidence heading back to Sydney to think we’ve got a better horse than we did late last year.”

Keayang Chucky is a $2 favourite from outside the front line (barrier seven) in tomorrow night’s standing-start feature.

Former Kiwis Lovemeto ($11 into $5) and Harold Smith ($5.50) are considered the main dangers.

Lee said it was likely Keayang Chucky would be his family’s only Sydney raider through the upcoming Carnival of Miracles.

“We’d thought about taking Keayang Tokyo and Aldebaran Vera, too, but I think we’ll keep them home,” he said.

“Tokyo was fantastic first-up in the Terang Cup and the Geelong Cup (March 7) looks a good option for him.

“As well as Aldebaran Vera is going, she’s best suited staying here and going to Geelong the same night for the McNamara Cup.”

Lee said stable star, Australasia’s most exciting trotter Keayang Zahara, was progressing steadily towards a racetrack return.

The four-year-old mare blazed through an unbeaten streak of 14 wins in her first season of racing at three, including seven at Group 1 level.

She was spelled after winning the Group 1 NZ Trotting Derby by a staggering eight lengths on December 6.

“We’re in no rush. She’s coming slowly and steadily. The first big race we’re looking at isn’t until the Macarthur Mile (Menangle on May 10),” he said.

“All going well, the Brisbane Inter Dominion, now it’s down from three rounds of heats to two, could be another option, too.”

Lee said Keayang Chucky, Keayang Stuka and Imperial Monarch were other possible Inter Dominion contenders.

“Keayang Stuka thrived through the Inter Dominion and ran third in the same, so we gave him a break and he’s back in work now,” he said.

“Imperial Monarch is one to watch. His form might not look like it, but we’ve got a big opinion of him.”