There was not even a hint of “what could be” for the Keyang Zahara (Full stead) Crew while watching the Brisbane Interdominion last Saturday week that runs the final.
Instead, Paddy Lee and the Lee/Craven -Clan were excited for Chris Svanosio and the team around Arcee Phoenix as he signed up for Inter Dominion Harness Racing Glory.
After all, Paddy and Jason Lee had spent a lot of time with Arcee Phoenix together with Antti smoking and even helped him to take care of him for a while when they campaign with their own star Keyang Zahara from Bob Butt’s beach stables, just outside of Christchurch, at the end of last year.
When they returned home after that triumphant journey, the long -distance plans for Keyang Zahara de Brisbane Inter Dominion include.
But that all changed after a hit-and-run raid on the Macarthur Mile of Group 1 in Menangle at the beginning of May.
Keyang Zahara suffered her first defeat when she runs down through the brilliant Susan is her name in sizzling time, but it was not that what her Brisbane plans derailed.
“No, if she got through well, we would probably have brought her to the Inter Dominion, but she just wasn’t the same mare,” said co-trainer Paddy Lee.
“It shocked us because she was previously in Sydney and clearly had that long journey to NZ and she both used incredibly well.
“We are sure that this time it was not only the trip to Sydney, but she must have picked up a virus or something. It just beat her so much and she lost so much weight. She didn’t ate.
“We had even recently let tests run on her stomach to ensure that there was nothing we could not see, but they said she was doing well.
“Once we had made the decision to stay at home, we were really happy that we did that.
“She’s back to her old self. She is smart, healthy and comes up well.
“We are not in a hurry because the big races are still gone for a while. I would say she will be back in mid -September.”
Lee said that he and the clan would sit down in the coming weeks and map the plans of Keyang Zahara for the rest of the year.
“There are options here (Victoria), in NZ and in Queensland. We have a little to think about,” he said.
“We would like to take at least one of us to NZ for their cup week, but it might be Keyang Chucky. He works well and will race back a week or two after Keyang Zahara.
“We will consider taking her, but she also has the group 1 race in Queensland in December (the big square).
“Before one of these, she has the Vicbred series here at home.
“We may be better to hold her against her own for the rest of this year and then go into the big races early next year.”
Keyang Chucky, who has 20 victories of 53 starts, bypassed this year’s Inter Dominion to have a long period after a tough campaign until the end of last year and early 2025.
He finished second in the Sydney Inter Dominion Final last December, third in the Great Southern Star -Final on 1 February and has not been raced since a fourth in Melton on March 22.
“He came a long, long way quickly and needed some time. He seems great and we look forward to all the big races with him again.”
The other major racing player that the clan has is the slightly raced Keyang Stuka, who has not started in the Sydney Inter Dominion final of last December since he was third.
“We had our work to do with him because he was just not in his way when he brought him backup, so we had to pause, freshen him up and start again,” Lee said.
“He tested well on Terang last week and you will see him again in Melton on Saturday evening. We like him.”
Keyang Stuka has raced only 24 times for seven victories and nine placements.
Through Adam HamiltonFor Harness Racing Victoria
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