Is Zahara the best trotting mare Australia has produced?

IT ALMOST feels like blasphemy just typing this, but is Keayang Zahara the best trotting mare Australia has produced?

If he could, my mentor, the late Bob Cain, would be calling me all sorts of names (most of which would be unprintable), or at minimum telling me I’m kidding myself, but given Keayang Zahara’s latest performance, it is a fair question to ask.

Undoubtedly the mighty Scotch Notch has been the long time title holder thanks to her amazing feats on both sides of the equator during the 1980s.

In the southern hemisphere alone, Scotch Notch won a host of majors, including two Inter Dominions.

Australian Trotter of the Year on three consecutive occasions, Scotch Notch was also crowned New Zealand Trotter of the Year in 1983.

Smashing the national record with her 1:55.6 time trial at Moonee Valley, Scotch Notch’s mark stood for 26 years until Sundons Gift lowered it to 1:54.3 in 2010.

It was another eight years before a mare – Maori Time – beat Scotch Notch’s record.

With a bankroll of $670,755, Scotch Notch also remained the richest Aussie-bred trotting mare until Im Ready Jett surpassed the tally more than 30 decades later!

Scotch Notch was retired with a record of 65 wins and 38 placings from 133 starts.

By comparison, Keayang Zahara took her tally to an impeccable 22 wins and a second from 23 outings with her emphatic triumph in Ballarat tonight.

After finding the lead from barrier six, Keayang Zahara strode to a soft 11-metre win from Rockinwithattitude, with Arcee Phoenix a head away third.

Rating 1:56.8 over 2200 metres, Keayang Zahara sliced two-tenths of a second off Just Believe’s track record.

A dual Inter Dominion and Australian Trotter of the Year, Just Believe is also the richest Australian-bred trotter with earnings of $1,929,253.

Although her latest success was at Group Two level, Keayang Zahara has won an incredible 11 Group Ones.

Crowned Australian and New Zealand Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year in 2024, Keayang Zahara is already the richest Australian-bred trotting mare with stakes of $967,785.

The daughter of  Volstead has also equalled or beaten Scotch Notch’s fastest time on nine occasions over distances from 1720 to 2240 metres.

With trainers Marg and Paddy Lee setting the daughter of Volstead for several of Victoria’s majors in coming weeks, Keayang Zahara appears destined to become the southern hemisphere’s richest trotting mare – a title belonging to Queen Elida with earnings of $1,103,470.

Queen Elida was retired with 37 wins and 34 placings from 88 starts.

Then there is the prospect of Keayang Zahara collecting Harness Racing Victoria’s $500,000 bonus.

In what can only be described as a phenomenal promotion, HRV will pay the mouth-watering sum to any trotter which wins four specified races. One of those victories has to be in the Great Southern Star.

Keayang Zahara has won the first two!

Bonuses are not included in a trotter or pacer’s earnings.

Taking all that into account, and while I’m not game enough to make a statement, the question at least deserves to be asked…is Keayang Zahara the best trotting mare Australia has produced?