Keayang Zahara after winning the 2026 TAB Trot
THERE was no shortage of fallout news from another epic Night of Champions at Cambridge.
On the night the Aussies dominated yet again, it was revealed champion trotting mare Keayang Zahara is set to bypass the Brisbane Inter Dominion.
But the incomparable Leap To Fame now looks set to racing on for another season.
Keayang Zahara took her record to 28 wins from 29 starts when she cruised home in the $NZ530,000 TAB Trot.
Like the first two runnings of the race, it was an Aussie trifecta with Keayang Zahara beating her stablemate Jilliby Ballerini and Queensland star Gus in third spot.
But, in a major shock, Keayang Zahara’s co-trainer Paddy Lee revealed the Inter Dominion wasn’t in their plans.
“I’d say she’ll go to the Sydney race ($100,000 Macarthur Mile on May 2) and then out for a spell,” he said.
“She’s done a terrific job to start the year and there are some great races for her at the end of the year.”
In other post-race news, Lee revealed Keayang Zahara almost didn’t make the trip.
“We hadn’t been happy with her after Sydney. She’d been tying up,” he said.
“Mum (Marg Lee) wasn’t keen to take her (to NZ), but we bought some time and then used the Terang trial (last week) as the decider.”
In news that will delight harness fans, after months of uncertainty Leap To Fame’s owner Kevin Seymour essentially guaranteed the champion pacer would race on for a second tilt at the iconic NZ Cup in November.
Until last night, he had repeatedly said no decision would be made until after the Brisbane Inter Dominion in July.
“How can we think about retiring him when he’s racing better than ever?” he said.
“Somehow he seems to be getting better with age. That’s the best win of his career so far.
“Seriously, Kay (Seymour, wife) and I have long wanted to win an NZ Cup. We tried with him when he ran second last year, so we’d love to come back again.
“If he wasn’t the GOAT before tonight, then surely he is now.”
Leap To Fame will return home for a freshen-up ahead of chasing a third Inter Dominion at Albion Park in July.
Even his conservative trainer-driver Grant Dixon said Leap To Fame had never gone better than last night’s successful Race by Sport Nation defence.
“He beat a better field that last year, did as much work and won a lot easier. You’d have to say it’s his best,” he said.
“He’s certainly going at least as well as ever. He’s travelling well and thriving on the racing.”
PHOTO: Angelique Bridson
