Two gun Aussie trotters out of Inter Dominions

New Zealand’s hopes of winning next month’s Inter Dominion trotting series in Brisbane have soared with two star Aussies set to miss the series.

Boom four-year-old mare Keayang Zahara (Volstead), who is well known to Kiwis, and the gifted Susan Is Her Name (Sebastian K) both won’t be at Albion Park.

Susan Is Her Name, who ended Keayang Zahara’s 15-race winning streak at Menangle last month, has been sidelined with a leg injury while Keayang Zahara’s connections haven’t made a final call, co-trainer Paddy Lee today said he “presumed she wouldn’t be going.”

Keayang Zahara blazed through an unbeaten streak of 14 wins last season, including seven at Group 1 level.

The four-year-old returned from a break with a narrow Melton win and then suffered her first defeat when she led, over-raced and was rundown late by Susan Is Her Name in the Group 1 Macarthur Mile at Menangle on May 10.

Keayang Zahara hasn’t been herself since the race.

“It took a lot out of her and that really surprised us because she’s been to Sydney last year and handled it well and she absolutely thrived during her time in NZ late last year,” Lee said.

“Maybe it was the hard run and the time they went, we don’t really know.

“But she lost a lot of condition and muscle tone and she has only done light work since.

“I’d say the family (Lee and Craven clan who own the mare) will make a final decision by the end of the week, but I can’t see her going.

“She needed more time out than we thought after the (Sydney) trip. She’s starting to look better now, but still isn’t right back to herself.

“Put it this way, she’s not looking anything like the mare we took to NZ late last year.”

Star Kiwis Bet N Win and Oscar Bonavena, along with Aussie-based TAB Trot winner Arcee Phoenix, are now the biggest guns of the trotting series, which starts on July 5 and has a $500,000 final on July 19.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing New Zealand