Brilliant trotting mare back for more in Queensland

By Jordan Gerrans

With a maiden Sunshine State elite-level victory collected on Saturday, the team behind boom trotter Keayang Zahara have flagged their intention to return for more feature glory in 2026.

The four-year-old mare remarkably nabbed the 10^th Group 1 triumph of her short career on Saturday evening at Albion Park when she saluted in The Great Square.

As a $1.04 favourite in the showpiece event for square gaiters, Keayang Zahara did not win by a big margin like many expected but she did enough to push her career earnings to $868,035. 

The homebred has only been beaten once in her 21 trips to the races for her connections, headed by the long-time harness racing clan of Craven and Lee.

With the understanding and learnings from their first trip to Queensland from Victoria under their belt, co-trainer Marg Lee says the Inter Dominion of 2026 is at the front of their mind. 

“Yes, definitely the Inter Dominion is an option – we were just talking about that,” the co-trainer said.

“Harry Craven (part-owner of Keayang Zahara and Lee’s father) and I have spoken about doing that next year with another trip, that is on the radar, for sure.

“It will suit her better in the middle of the year as the weather will not be as hot.

“We could look at doing that and bringing up a few more horses, as well.”

The Inter Dominion Championship is locked into Queensland for the next two years, with the prizemoney on offer increasing in both the pacing and trotting sections since the series shifted to the Sunshine State.

There are options aplenty for Keayang Zahara over the coming year or so.

Co-trainer Lee says the $100,000 Group 1 Maori Mile at Bendigo on January 10 will be the first cab off the rank once the team get back to their home base.

From there and looking into 2026, they could go several different ways with her preparation.

Lucrative slots events in New Zealand are enticing while there is a bonus for Victorian country Cups that Craven has his eyes on.

Regardless, Craven thinks the Inter Dominion of 2026 in the winter in Queensland looms large.

“The Inter Dominion next year, it is definitely on the radar,” Craven said.

“If she is good at the time, we will definitely be looking at those races.

“We have some nice horses at home so if we can get a few to travel with her, it will make it a lot of a better trip.”

As the daughter of boom stallion Volstead is a major drawcard in the harness game, her ticket to Queensland next year for the Inter Dominion will be a boon for the carnival.

Respected harness racing broadcaster Chris Barsby says her presence in the $150,000 The Great Square at Albion Park was significant.

“That was huge,” Barsby said.

“Just seeing Keayang Zahara in Queensland for the first time, doing what she was expected to do.

“They had a job; they executed that job and they now head back to Victoria with the big Group 1 in their kit bag.”

Star trotter Keayang Zahara arrived in Queensland in the days before The Great Square and was stabled at Grant Dixon’s property in the lead-up to the event.

At Dixon’s Tamborine barn was two of the great megastars of the sport, side-by-side, Keayang Zahara and Leap To Fame.

Co-trainer Lee said it was ‘awesome’ to be stabled alongside the champion pacer and described LTF as a ‘beautiful animal’.

Veteran co-trainer Lee was effusive in her praise of the way the Dixon family accommodated Keayang Zahara and stablemate Keayang Lavita who also travelled north.

“It was unbelievable,” Lee said.

“The horses were treated like royalty, it was great. She had a stable and a paddock to go out in, everything we needed then the Dixon stable – they did. It was terrific.”

Craven echoed his daughter’s thoughts. 

“We can’t thank them enough really, they have been exceptional,” Craven said of the Dixon team.

“They bent over backwards to do anything we needed or wanted. Grant and Trista were fantastic.”

Keayang Lavita also contested The Great Square on Saturday evening and finished fifth in the 2138 metre event.