Zahara ‘back to her old self’ as she works towards return

There wasn’t even a touch of “what might need been” for the Keayang Zahara (Volstead) crew as they watched final Saturday week’s Brisbane Inter Dominion trotting closing.
Keayang Zahara (Stuart McCormick Photograph)
As an alternative, Paddy Lee and the Lee/Craven clan have been thrilled for Chris Svanosio and the crew round Arcee Phoenix as he powered to Inter Dominion harness racing glory.
In any case, Paddy and Jason Lee, together with Antti Ruokonen had spent loads of time with Arcee Phoenix and even helped take care of him for some time after they campaigned their very own star Keayang Zahara out of Bob Butt’s beachside stables, simply outdoors Christchurch, late final yr.
After they returned dwelling after that triumphant journey, the long-range plans for Keayang Zahara included the Brisbane Inter Dominion.
However all that modified after a hit-and-run raid on the Group 1 Macarthur Mile at Menangle in early Might.
Keayang Zahara suffered her first defeat when run down by the sensible Susan Is Her Identify in blistering time, but it surely wasn’t that what derailed her Brisbane plans.
“No, if she’d come via it properly, we’d most likely nonetheless have taken her to the Inter Dominion, however she simply wasn’t the identical mare after it,” co-trainer Paddy Lee stated.
“It shocked us as a result of she’s been to Sydney earlier than and clearly had that lengthy journey to NZ and dealt with them each amazingly properly.
“We’re certain it wasn’t simply the journey to Sydney this time, however she will need to have picked up a virus or one thing. It simply knocked her round a lot and she or he misplaced a lot weight. She wasn’t consuming.
“We even had exams run on her abdomen only recently to ensure there wasn’t something we couldn’t see, however they stated she’s high-quality.
“As soon as we’d made the choice to remain dwelling, we have been actually glad we did.
“She’s again to her previous self. She’s shiny, wholesome and developing properly.
“We’re in no rush as a result of the large races are some time away but. I’d say she’ll be again racing mid-September.”
Lee stated he and the clan would sit down in coming weeks and map out Keayang Zahara’s plans for the remainder of the yr.
“There’s choices right here (Victoria), in NZ and in Queensland. We’ve received a bit to consider,” he stated.
“We’re eager to take a minimum of one in every of ours to NZ for his or her Cup Week, but it surely is likely to be Keayang Chucky. He’s working up properly and will likely be again racing per week or two after Keayang Zahara.
“We’ll contemplate taking her, however she’s additionally received the Group 1 race in Queensland in December (the Nice Sq.).
“Earlier than any of these, she’s received the Vicbred sequence right here at dwelling.
“We is likely to be higher to maintain her towards her personal for the remainder of this yr, then going into the large races early subsequent yr.”
Keayang Chucky, who boasts 20 wins from 53 begins, bypassed this yr’s Inter Dominion to have a protracted spell after a tricky marketing campaign via late final yr and early 2025.
He ran second within the Sydney Inter Dominion closing final December, third within the Nice Southern Star closing on February 1 and hasn’t raced since a fourth at Melton on March 22.
“He got here a protracted, good distance rapidly and wanted a while out. He appears nice and we’re trying ahead to all the large races once more with him.”
The opposite main race participant the clan has is the evenly raced Keayang Stuka, who hasn’t began since his third in final December’s Sydney Inter Dominion closing.
“We’ve had our work to do with him as a result of he simply wasn’t proper in his gait when introduced him back-up, so we needed to pause, freshen him and begin once more,” Lee stated.
“He trialled properly at Terang final week and also you’ll see him again racing at Melton on Saturday evening. We like him.”
Keayang Stuka has raced simply 24 occasions for seven wins and 9 placings.
by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Victoria

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