Keayang Zahara wins first Trotting Masters title

EXCITING mare I Am Wilma’s win in the Group 1 Bill Collins Trotters’ Sprint added to the huge female influence in this year’s Australian Trotting Masters’ series.

Mares won three of the four legs with Keayang Zahara (Volstead) taking out the first two – the Great Southern Star and Hammerhead Mile – and I Am Wilma adding the last of the four legs.

Only Queensland superstar Gus flew the flag for the makes with his Brisbane Inter Dominion Grand Final win in leg three.

Despite being sidelined by injury, Keayang Zahara’s two early wins were enough for her to win the Trotting Masters’ crown with 200 points over stablemate Jilliby Ballerini, who ran second to her twice, and finished equal second on 120 points with Gus.

Gus only contested two legs for his Inter Dominion win and a third to Keayang Zahara in the Hammerhead Mile.

I Am Wilma finished fourth on 100 points.

I Am Wilma, who has been a work in progress for trains Chris Lang and Sonia Mahar, looms as a major factor in next year now she is becoming much more of a complete racehorse.

There was lots to like about her Bill Collins win after burning early to lead from gate one, then eventually taking a sit on boom Italian import Gandhi Mail.

Despite the early burn, I Am Wilma still sprinted strongly late along the sprint lane to run down a very brave Lovemeto, who sat outside the leader throughout, to win.

“It shows how far she’s come and the great job Chris and Sonia have done with her that she was able to do it at both ends like that,” Alford said.

“She’s been a handful at times and still was a bit tonight, she’s very good. She’s strong and fast.”

It was Alford fifth win in the Bill Collins, following victories on Glenbogle (2006), Kyvalley Blur (2013), Maori Time (2016) and Queen Elida (2023).

For Lang, it was his third win in the race, but his first since the great Sundons Gift in 2010. His other win came a year earlier with the brilliant Skyvalley.

by Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Australia