Stunning Keayang Zahara should continue her quest to become the richest Australasian trotting mare of all time in the $100,000 Group 1 Maori Mile on Saturday evening in Bendigo.Keayang Zahara presentation at Melton – Stuart McCormick
Despite just turning five, Keayang Zahara will take her running earnings to $925,035 if she places 21st.st win from just 22 starts in Bendigo.
That would make her the third richest trotting mare, behind only the recently retired Queen Elida ($1,103,470) and former Kiwi star, One Over Kenny ($1,060,394).
Keayang Zahara has another series of feature races over the next six weeks, led by the $250,000 Group 1 Great Southern Star.
She is $1.15 favorite for the Maori Mile, which would be her 11the Group profit.
“She’s just had a few quiet days after Brisbane but this has always been the goal and she’s ready to go,” trainer Paddy Lee said.
The win in Bendigo would also be a first important step towards Keayang Zahara winning a new $500,000 bonus over the six weeks of the Summer of Glory.
She is the only logical contender for the bonus, which requires a trotter to win at least four of the six races in the series, but that must also include the $250,000 Great Southern Star at Melton on February 14.
Key rival trainers Chris Svanosio and Andy Gath admit beating Keayang Zahara will be a huge challenge.
“I think we have a chance of a small place,” Gath said of his much-improved Imperial Command, which won eight races last season.
“We got out quickly and we have to hope that we can pass them at the start and then finish second or third.
Keayang Zahara wins The Big Square – Dan Costello
“A lot will depend on Ollivici. He is also fast, but the last start he didn’t trot well at all, so maybe they are a bit careful with him in the beginning.”
It’s an even bigger call from Svanosio, who trains and controls reigning Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix. He is going for his third consecutive Maori Mile victory.
“It’s by far the toughest Maori Mile he’s faced yet,” he said. “And it’s even harder now that he’s deployed wide (gate five) with a champion like Keayang Zahara in him.
“I’m very happy with the horse. He seems to be back to his best after that disappointing run in NZ, but we still have a big challenge ahead.”
Arcee Phoenix impressed with a smooth trial win in Bendigo on Monday night, powering home his final half in 56.8 seconds.
The other main contender is the remarkable Im Bobby, who won twelve races last season and has young gun driver James Herbertson on board as the only runner in the back row (gate eight).
Given how fast the Bendigo circuit is, Keayang Zahara, racing at the circuit for the first time, is likely to break Arcee Phoenix’s track record of 1:53.8 seconds in the 2024 Maori Mile.
The ultimate goal would be the Australasian record of 1min51.5sec miles set by Maori Time, but that was on the spacious 1400m Menangle circuit on February 24, 2018.
