ust for a brief moment, young driver Jason Lee let his mind wander as he watched Aussie champ Just Believe strut to Group 1 glory in front of a packed Addington crowd on Tuesday.

Could that be him in a year or two with his family's untapped and unbeaten young trotting filly Keayang Zahara?

The forerunner to such greatness will hopefully come at Addington, but on not quite the same stage in Friday's inaugural $NZ500,000 The Ascent.

Keayang Zahara is something else. Many say the way she's blazed to win 11 wins from as many starts since she first raced in April has stamped her as the best young trotter Australia has seen,

She's already running times most open-class trotters wouldn't even get close to.

It's almost assumed by many she will be the next big thing in Australasian trotting.

Driver @JLee_8 caught up with @ryanphelan_tv ahead of star trotter Keayang Zahara's start in The Ascent at Addington on Friday. pic.twitter.com/GblHTudOuz

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) November 13, 2024

"She's very exciting, no doubt about it," Lee said. "She's the best horse our family has had and we've had some nice ones go through the place, but she's the one you dream of getting. The one that makes all the hard work worth it.

"But there's a pressure that goes with it, a pressure we haven't felt before, because she hasn't been beaten yet.

"It'll happen one day, just hopefully not when she's racing for such big money this week."

Keayang Zahara is a $1.55 favourite against NZ's best young trotters from barrier three.

"Paddy Lee (co-trainer) and I just can't fault her. There's just no reason she won't bring her best form to the race, albeit it's all new and her first time away from home.

"She's settled well, she's eating well, even better than she does at home to be honest, and she felt great when we took her in for a spin around Addington last Saturday."

The glamour girl of Aussie trotting, the unbeaten Keayang Zahara, gets a look at @AddingtonNZ ahead of Friday's $500k The Ascent.
Going for 12th win for @JLee_8 and crew.
That's a long way from Ecklin South! pic.twitter.com/U5eGlwg1Ag

— Adam Hamilton (@AdamHSport) November 8, 2024

Despite a lovely barrier (three), Lee expects the Kiwis to dish it right up to Keayang Zahara.

"I'm sure it won't be as straightforward as some think. Like, I don't think she'll just be rolling straight to the front and winning," he said.

"The Kiwis are proud. They don't like us coming over and winning their big races. They didn't like Swayzee and Just Believe winning the big two on Cup Day.

"They tell me John Dunn (driving Tyron Eros) is going to blast out and try to lead from the outside (gate six) and that the pole marker (Empire City) is a nice trotter and gets out really quickly, too," he said.

"Ideally, I'd love to drive our filly with a sit because she's so good coming off a helmet, but they're young trotters and if the chance came to take her to the lead, I'd do that. It's the safest place to be."

Keayang Zahara is one eight Aussie horses racing on the second of the two huge days of NZ Cup Week at Addington.

The others are: Just Believe, One Over All and Arcee Phoenix in the Group 1 NZ Trotting free-for-all; Catch A Wave, Better Eclipse and Aroda in the Group 1 NZ Pacing free-for-all, and Hes From Heaven in the $500,000 The Velocity.

We just might have the second coming of Maori's Idol.

It is almost 50 years since the Maori's Idol stormed to 40 wins from 46 starts and stamped himself as the greatest trotter in this part of the world.

The likes of Scotch Notch, Lyell Creek and currently Just Believe have done almost unthinkable things.

But the excitement and potential around unbeaten Victorian three-year-old trotting filly Keayang Zahara is next level.

As if her 11 wins in Australia wasn't mesmerising enough, Keayang Zahara took it global when she absolutely demolished NZ's best in the inaugural $NZ500,000 The Ascent at Addington.

SHE IS THE CHOSEN ONE!
Superstar three-year-old trotter Keayang Zahara has absolutely destroyed her rivals with a breathtaking victory in the inaugural ‘The Ascent' at Addington today for Margaret and Jason Lee. Congratulations!! pic.twitter.com/n7FVbn2cLa

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) November 15, 2024

In a week where the mighty stayer Swayzee went back-to-back in the NZ Cup itself on Tuesday and Just Believe posted a 10th Group 1 win on the same day, Keayang Zahara somehow stole the show.

You just don't see what she did, coming around to sit outside the leader before blasting clear to win by eight lengths with driver Jason Lee letting her coast to the line and waving his whip to the roars of an appreciative crowd.

"She's something special," Lee said. "I've driven some nice horses, but never had a feeling like that on one in a race of that quality.

"There's a fair bit of relief to be honest. We've been here a week and you realise how big harness racing is here and the expectation they have of her. They'd just expected her to turn up and win.

"Everything fell into place. She settled well, her bloods were great and she felt terrific when we brought her in for a look around Addington last Saturday.

"To win a big race like that on a track like Addington in (NZ) Cup week … It's really special."

Jason Lee on superstar filly Keayang Zahara after her incredible victory in the Majestic Horsefloats LP ‘The Ascent' at Addington today.
???? NZ Trackside and Sky Racing pic.twitter.com/mYDGff6zvk

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) November 15, 2024

It's a long way from Ecklin South, near Terang, where Keayang Zahara was bred and trained by Marg Lee and sons, Jason and Paddy.

"You dream of doing things like when you start out in the game," Jason Lee said. "To have Mum and so many of the extended family here to see her do it makes so extra special."

Keayang Zahara, who only started racing in April and already boasts six Group 1 wins, will stay in Christchurch to add another in the $NZ140,000 NZ Trotting Oaks on November 29.

"As long as she's good tomorrow, she'll stay for that, but I'm not so sure about staying beyond that for the Derby," Marg Lee said.

"We're mindful she's come a long way very quickly and she's got a whole career in front of her."

You amazing girl …
Keayang Zahara goes 12 from 12. pic.twitter.com/uJW5WaxV1u

— Adam Hamilton (@AdamHSport) November 15, 2024

Driver Jason Lee admits he still doesn’t know just how good Keayang Zahara is.

But he expects to be a bit clearer after she faces yet another defining test, this time against one of her “own”, in Saturday night’s Group 1 Bill Collins Trotters’ Sprint at Melton.

Keayang Zahara left rivals and fans gobsmacked when she returned from a spell with an astonishing last-to-first win at Melton last Saturday night. It was her 16th win from just 17 starts.

She gave reigning Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix a 40m head start and easily ran him down, seemingly without being extended.

It should be enough to just turn up and repeat the dose, especially from barrier four this week, but she has her much-improved stablemate Jilliby Ballerini drawn even better (gate two) and coming off her own career-best performance two weeks ago.

While Jilliby Ballerini, like every other three-year-old trotter, lived in Keayang Zahara’s shadow last year, she’s gone to a new level with nine wins from her 11 starts in 2025 and should be first to find the lead on Saturday night.