Unbeaten Volstead filly set for Melton return

Keayang Zahara (Volstead) will grace the harness racing track for the first time since her resounding win in the Group 1 Vicbred final for three-year-old trotting fillies when she tackles Saturday night’s Aldebaran Park Need For Speed Princess heat at Melton Entertainment Park.

The star squaregaiter extended her winning streak to six with a stunning 13m triumph in the $100,000 event on September 14.

“She has come through that run good,” regular driver Jason Lee said.

The Lee stable took out two Group 1 features on Vicbred finals night with the Antti Ruokonen-prepared Keayang Kurki saluting in the two-year-old trotting fillies’ showdown. Ruokonen trains from the same property as the Lee family in Ecklin South.

“I had an old footy coach say ‘celebrate your wins’ and we try and roll off that motto and celebrate our wins,” Lee said.

“We need to enjoy every win let alone a big one.”

Keayang Zahara is set to target some of Victoria’s big squaregaiting features before a potential trip across the Tasman for the new $500,000 slot race for three-year-old trotters, The Ascent.

“We are just going to get through her three-year-old season before we worry about anything else,” Lee said.

“It will be Need For Speed and the Oaks and possibly New Zealand.”

The Margaret Lee-prepared three-year-old has drawn barrier four for Saturday night’s $10,000 heat which leads to a $50,000 final on October 5.

“We will just roll forward and we think she will end up in front,” he said.

Stablemate, the Paddy Lee-trained Jilliby Ballerini, has drawn one for the 1720m race.

The Aldebaran Park Need For Speed Princess heat is set to go at 8.42pm.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria